12 21 12
by Dani Navy
Summary: To him, she's just another reckless human when he finds her lying in the middle of nowhere, dead as dead can be. He doesn't realize he should know her, or that she's about to wake up in 3…2…1… BxE, vampires/humans/hybrids
1. Just a Girl

**Summary:** Behind closed doors, something is brewing. The Volturi guard know more than they let on, and aren't giving up their valuable information. This time, humanity is hanging by a thread, and it's about to get cut. But bad just got worse when power hungry vampires are thrown into the mix, set on a date that marks the beginning of the end.

Or is it?

One brunette hybrid doesn't think so, and all it takes is one lonely soul to embark on a mission to be part of a result.

Teams cross over, blood is shed, and lives are lost. But it's expected; _YOU ARE_ the resistance, and your life depends on

**12.21.12**

…because whatever doesn't kill you will probably try again.

-x-

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**Disclaimer: I do not own the concept of Twilight or the characters who fell to it, yet I _do_ own this fanfic. Yeah, take _that_ Stephanie Meyer!**

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**Chapter 1: Just a Girl**

**Introduction:**

Normal. A complex word with a wide open meaning. No one knows what exactly it means to be normal.

Except Bella.

How is it that one girl can deny herself an adjective that has no set limitations?

Easy. Bella's a hybrid.

Enough said.

_**The Early 80's**_

_C_arlisle had seen it all from working years and years as a doctor. He was used to treating the sick kids coming in and out, with nothing out of the ordinary ever catching him off guard.

Until he came across a young girl, later called Bella Swan.

The doctor knew there was something severely different about her._ No_, there wasn't anything _technically_ wrong with her; she just seemed to be progressing too quickly.

Carlisle sighed and stared down at the toddler girl, who in turn was getting bored with her blank surroundings of the small orphanage.

Besides her abilities to already walk and talk, she was _normal_ enough, yet the girl didn't look her age. If it wasn't for her rapid growth, it would be her looks that gave her away. She was stunningly gorgeous—too pretty for a little girl. Her hair was a silky, chocolate brown, cutting off at her shoulders, with a sloppy pony tail falling out from the back. Her skin was nearly translucent, and seemed to glow, but every so often she would blush, and that further accentuated her thin face. The most mesmerizing part of her face were her eyes —pure brown, the exact same shade as her hair.

This is what had the poor doctor confused. If she was really what he thought she was, why were her eyes brown? Or why was there blood in her veins, flowing through a beating heart?

All the same, he knew she wasn't like everyone else, and that's why she couldn't stay in the orphanage with the other kids. But what would his reasons be for transferring her? He had no logical explanation for anyone…unless…_No_, he couldn't take in a child. He promised his family, and especially himself, that he would never bring a child into their world. _Yet_, he cared for her, and she wasn't all that human anyway. But would she fit into his disorganized family? Carlisle contemplated this.

Rosalie would love her right off the back, Esme as well. Emmett would probably bother her at first, but it would be in all good hearted fun. Alice would love a new dress up doll, and Jasper would love anything Alice loved.

That left Edward. And Edward was difficult. He didn't trust anything foreign or unknown, and this young girl was definitely that.

Carlisle sighed, and tried to remove his gaze from the small child, but she was too adorable just to forget about. Her eyes looked up out of her choppy bangs at him, piercing his soul, and making his breath catch.

_She needs me…she needs my family, _he told himself. He knew he wouldn't be able to turn his back on her now. He picked up the small child, and crept out of the small doctor's office of the orphanage, fully aware that what he was doing was very spur of the moment—which was _very_ unlike him.

"Don't worry little one," he whispered to the smiling girl, who was wrapped in his strong arms. "You'll find your place in this world with us."

She smiled, and curled up into his arms, dozing off. The doctor couldn't help but touch her soft cheek, and he grew anxious at what his family would think of the new arrival.

-x-

"Ssshh, she's asleep." The doctor passed the sleeping child over to the gorgeous blonde, whose beauty even stood out among a crowd of vampires. The beautiful vampire immediately melted when her arms carefully cradled the young girl, who slightly fidgeted from her cold touch.

"She's one of us? But she's so warm, and her heart…it's beating." The blonde looked up at the doctor with a scared expression, already frightened that the girl wouldn't be able to stay after all.

"It's appears that she isn't entirely one of us, but after watching her, it's quite evident that she's definitely not human." The doctor walked over to his wife, a petite woman who had already fallen in love with the small child. "She's growing quickly. She grew two inches in two days. How's that _normal_?" The vampire family smirked, finally coming to terms that this was in fact _not_ a typical child.

Alice, the shortest vampire, with ink black hair, was ecstatic. She was already jumping around, causing a scene, and Jasper, a quiet, reserved vampire, tried to hold her back as he held himself back from the young girl—for entirely different reasons than Alice. The young girl might not have been entirely human, but she sure smelled it to him.

"Emmett, look at her." Rosalie picked up the young girls hand, and held it in her own palm. Their skin tones matched perfectly, and for the first time in awhile, Rosalie felt whole.

"She's cute," Emmett laughed, rubbing his hand through his dark hair. "The boys will be chasing her, but don't worry, I'll chase them away." He flexed his huge muscles that wrapped around his arms, and shoulders. Everyone laughed— except for the vampire in the corner, who had yet to come and see the child.

He was scrawnier than the other vampires, but still muscular, and had dark, bronze hair. His eyes were also in a permanent glare, and his jaw never seemed to be relaxed.

To say this vampire had a problem with humans was an understatement— he absolutely despised them. Maybe it was because he knew every single thought in their minds, and could see the bad ones from a mile away. Or maybe it was that since he had to live an eternity as a monster, and he needed an enemy— humans were the easy target to push the blame on why his life was so miserable. He was jealous of them, to say the least. He wanted what they had; a life to live, and a way to end it.

Carlisle didn't like how his son had kept to himself after all these years. But he didn't force him to be tight with the family. Edward liked being alone, and Carlisle understood it. But for whatever reason, Edward felt he had some kind of obligation to stay close by. Carlisle felt relief anytime Edward would come out of hiding, and was glad he never disappeared for good.

"Edward, what do you think about this?" Carlisle asked, nodding towards the sleeping girl.

_I think you're crazy,_ Edward thought, but he held back. "You know what I think." He stood up from the chair in the corner, but didn't cross over to acknowledge the child. He just stared at his family. He couldn't believe they were okay with letting a hybrid into the family. "She's a hybrid. Do you know what the Volturi do if _they_ are caught-"

"Edward!" hissed Rosalie, pressing the child closer to her body. But she knew Edward was right. The Volturi didn't allow hybrids to exist…they were just so rare…

"This is a mistake. She's not one of us," Edward argued back, clenching his fists to hold back from destroying the living room.

Esme shrank back into her husband's touch. She didn't like when her son got angry because she knew in the back of her mind, every time he lost his temper he left for a long period of time, always longer than the last. She couldn't bear to be away from him, even if he wasn't biologically hers; she loved him none the less. She loved _all _of her children.

"Edward, look at her." Emmett tucked a strand of the girl's hair behind her ear, careful not to wake her. "She looks like one of us, and she's special…"

"Yes," Carlisle agreed. "She's growing quickly. Too quickly. I'm not sure what percentage of vampire is in her genes, but something has increased her growth rate, and even though she only looks maybe two years old, she very well could be only a couple weeks old."

Everyone gasped from what Carlisle had said, but Edward ignored him, and shook his head in frustration. "We're not an orphanage that takes in strays. It's not like us."

"It _is_ like us. It's like _me_," Carlisle raised his voice slightly, which he hated doing, but he needed to make his son see his side. "Give this a chance. She'll grow up in no time, and then she'll be able to make her own decisions. We can just give her an opportunity to grow up in a new environment, and live normally."

"_A new environment_?" Edward spat back at his father. He never argued with Carlisle; he saved his anger for his siblings. But this was completely insane, and bringing her in wouldn't make them any less of monsters than they already were.

"Yes. Growing up around vampires will probably be something different, although she isn't exactly used to humans either—"

"Alaska is _our_ home! We've finally settled down, found a clan like ours, and _this_ comes along, and disrupts it all!" Edward was full on yelling now, but surprisingly, the girl slept through it.

"Edward please, be reasonable," Esme begged. "Nothing's going to change." She knew what was coming, and she couldn't take not having her family together.

"Well I'm not staying. If the child stays, I go." He stalked out of the room, and didn't forget to slam the door like he normally did.

Edward's mind was fuming. He couldn't believe his family would risk everything for a pathetic human —no, a pathetic _hybrid_. He was running at full speed along the road, knowing no humans were around for miles. Well except for the one back at _his_ home.

She was clearly human. Her scent told him that. She smelled like fresh flowers mixed with warm blood, and it appealed to him. That's what made him so angry—it just showed how much of a monster he was. But there was the other side of her, clearly not like the other humans. Carlisle said she could just be weeks old, and that wasn't a common looking baby. She was larger than a toddler already.

Edward continued to run hard for a few minutes until the pond he swam at every so often came into view. It was a place he liked going to relax, and calm down. But even when he slumped down onto his knees, and covered his face in frustration, he couldn't calm himself down.

He let a growl slip, and than another, and eventually he was back on his feet again, traveling further and further away from the family he had grown to live with. Even Carlisle who had saved him from death nearly seventy years ago, couldn't understand what he was going through. No one could…

Edward didn't care that his family would be upset with his departure. He couldn't live with another human being, or hybrid for that matter. He thought Carlisle was a fool for taking it in, and he wasn't going to be apart of it's life. _Not ever._

-x-

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**Recap:**

This first chapter takes place in the early eighties, and the Cullen's live in Alaska. Edward is frustrated with what he is, and what he isn't. He is the typical Edward we all know and love, with a bit more hatred for humans than we're used to. As for Bella, Carlisle came across her at work at the orphanage, and couldn't let her get away because he knew she could get taken by the Volturi.

**A/N: **

For those of you who are just stumbling across this story now, I'd love to hear from you.

Also, I plan on doing recaps after each chapter in case the chapter is confusing. If the chapter is simple enough, I might not bother.

**And I am only saying this once...my spelling sucks. I usually go back and fix it later, along with whatever else. If you don't like it, wait until a day later to read an update. Thanks buds.**

**Song: Just a Girl by No Doubt**

(Each chapter title is a song, usually one that I like a lot)


	2. Live Forever

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight related stuff, but frig, do I ever own this fanfic.**

**Chapter 2: Live Forever**

_I want to live I don't want to die  
Maybe I just want to breath  
Maybe I just don't believe  
Maybe you're the same as me  
We see things they'll never see  
You and I are gonna live forever_

_-Oasis_

-x-

_**Late 1980's**_

"Bella, come finish your novel." Esme held up her old ratty copy of _Tuck Everlasting, _and Bella sighed. Of course Bella liked reading, and she knew reading was the first step to a proper education, but it was the last thing on her mind on such a nice summer's day like today.

Bella Swan had changed dramatically since the first time four years ago when the Cullen's had picked her up. For starters, she was given a suitable first name and a last name that distanced her from them enough to protect her. Second, she was no longer the adorable toddler girl, with the cute smile.

Bella had grown—a lot. She only had four years under her belt, yet already she looked like she should be starting junior high with all the other preteens. And goodness, did she ever act like one.

Her sweetness had rubbed off of her, and was replaced with moodiness and pessimistic views on life. She preferred being alone, and was often mouthy and rude to her parents and siblings. But the Cullen's found her personality amusing enough. They gave her space to be alone and tried keeping their cool around her to avoid setting her off. She was the typical preteen—hormones included. Bella had forgotten that she should feel lucky to be alive with them, and instead, loathed her entire existence.

The young girl had no idea what she truly was, therefore, thought of herself as a 'Plain Jane' compared to the extraordinary Cullen's. She wanted to have an open heart like Esme, to be just as strong as Emmett, or just as fantastic with emotions as Jasper. She wanted to know things before they happened like Alice, and be breath takingly beautiful like Rosalie. But most of all, she wanted to live for centuries, just like Carlisle had.

But, instead of accepting who she was, she became depressed, all the while not knowing she was truly much more extraordinary than anyone around her —even amongst a bunch of vampires.

Bella stared at her mom, and chose wisely to hold her tongue. She huffed, and slowly walked over to Esme, and took the book from her hands.

Esme gave her a look. "If you promise to read the book, you can take it outside by the pond to read, but you have to read the entire—"

Bella didn't even bother to stick around. She was already out the sliding glass doors of their kitchen before Esme could finish her sentence.

"Silly girl," Esme mumbled, although she couldn't help smiling. She loved this moody, cranky child— and she was all hers.

Bella was something the family could never have even dreamed about. She was the missing piece to their family, and watching her grow rapidly these couple years had them mesmerized with her.

Esme couldn't help but stare at her daughter as she ran down the backyard, and towards the pond. It was Bella's favourite place to go off and hide; and as long as she promised to be careful, the family let her explore her imagination there.

Esme sighed. Even after all of these years, she still couldn't wrap her head around how smoothly Bella had fit into their family. She was different, but so far, nothing out of the ordinary proved this. She acted human, ate normal food, and didn't have any super powers of any kind. She was your typical moody kid, and so full of life and wonder.

Carlisle came into the kitchen and watched his wife gaze at their mysterious child. He couldn't help but stare in awe behind her. She truly was one of a kind.

Carlisle had done some research on Bella. Hybrids—which he knew about vaguely—were a cross between human and vampires, ranging from looks, abilities, and powers. Bella had obviously gotten the majority of her genes from her mother because she was barley even vampire at all. That's why it was so easy to keep it from her. Bella didn't know the difference between her and other humans. She thought she was one of them, and saw nothing wrong with being only a few years old, and looking like a preteen.

That showed how vulnerable she was. She already knew too much, yet at the same time knew too little. Carlisle often feared for her safety. He knew the Volturi didn't take to well to her kind— most child vampires were out of control— and they wouldn't give Bella the time of day.

But Carlisle and the rest of the family would do everything in their power to keep her safe. They loved her, and even if it meant keeping her in the dark about what she truly was…so be it.

"Look at her," Esme sighed just as Carlisle was about to say the same thing.

Carlisle nodded and wrapped his arms around his thin wife. "I know. She really does have a mind of her own. She reminds me of-"

"Please, don't say his name." Esme pulled away from Carlisle's embrace, and turned the kitchen tap on to fill the sink for the dirty dishes.

Carlisle sighed. Edward's departure was tough for Esme to talk about. She loved the boy, even if he was sometimes difficult and stubborn— just like Bella had slowly become.

"He'll be back soon, he can't stay away forever." Carlisle rubbed his wife's back, and she simply nodded as she watched Bella outside, who was completely unaware of the effect she had on a boy she had never met.

-x-

"Stupid rock," Bella cursed, throwing a stone she had managed to trip over two seconds ago into the pond. She watched as the stone barely made an indent in the water, only creating small ripples that disappeared just as quickly as they were created.

The pond was a nice place to hang out. It was officially Bella's special place, and she had made it clear enough to her family that she never wanted to be disturbed while she was down gazing at the water.

But today not even a lonely game of throwing rocks into the still water could calm her down. She was antsy, and couldn't help but feel like something out there was pulling her in a different direction than where she was.

This wasn't abnormal for Bella though. She always felt like an outsider. But she chose to ignore her random feelings, which she did often. Of course, little did Bella know, her instincts were never that far off.

Bella looked down at her old copy of _Tuck Everlasting_. It looked like it had been read over and over again, but Bella hadn't even gotten to the third chapter yet. It was the previous owner that had given the poor book so much wear and tear.

Bella traced the name of the previous owner on the inside of the cover. _Edward Cullen. _She remembered Esme telling her a bit about him. Esme told him he used to live with them, but ran off to find a place where he could belong. Bella pitied the fool for not staying with a family that loved him. Bella didn't understand how he could give it all up, and run away from the perfect life, and the perfect vampire settings. He was a vampire, and that meant his life was easy. At least she saw it that way. To her, Edward didn't seem like such a great guy.

She stared down at the cover of the novel when she closed it. _A worn out book is a good thing. It means it's been read and loved over and over again, and that shows it's had a full life, _Carlisle had told her yesterday when he had first given her the book.

Maybe that's why she was so worn out and ugly. She's been taken in and loved by a family that she thought she didn't even deserve.

Bella didn't see herself the way others did. She was absolutely flawless, but she managed to see a distorted view of herself instead. She hated her pin straight hair, and the way it was always limp, and never stayed in the same place. Not to mention the color; brown was the color of dirt, and dirt was gross. But most of all, she hated her eyes. She wanted pure gold ones like Rosalie's—not to mention everything else Rosalie had. Bella was insanely jealous of her.

Bella turned away from her book, and glared down at her reflection in the pond. There was a time when she used to pretend the water was a wishing well, and if she threw in a shiny coin, her wish would eventually come true. On her vain days, she wished to be beautiful, but most times, there was nothing Bella wanted more in this world than to live forever. She wanted to explore the world, and meet different types of people. Living a sheltered life trapped in Alaska wasn't on the menu.

Bella slumped down onto her back, and tossed her book away from her. She hated being the ugly duckling, and she especially hated being the tortoise of the family. She couldn't wrap her head around what Carlisle saw in her that day at the orphanage—she remembered it like it had happened yesterday. He had picked her, and even to this day, Bella still thought he had made the wrong decision.

The family had no idea about Bella's depression, and thoughts of not fitting in. They saw her attitude as the usual kid fluff, and looked over it easily. Too bad Bella couldn't ignore it like they had managed too.

"Oh well," Bella whispered to herself, "at least they seem to like me." She closed her eyes, and let the sun trace over her white skin. But no matter how many days of sitting in the sun, Bella could never get a single freckle, tan, or burn—and she hated that. She believed her pure white skin was sent to her from the devil, and the way it seemed to gleam even brighter in the sun made her want to sand it to the bone.

Bella's eyes opened suddenly when the sun was blocked from her eyelids, and shade overcame her. She expected to see her older brother Emmett, breaking the rule of invading her pond space, but that definitely wasn't the case.

Instead, two red eyes came in contact with her brown ones, and although this should have frightened her, she stayed still. She knew what red eyes meant. She wasn't dumb. She had been reminded by her family to avoid this type of creature— yet she stayed calm, somehow able to keep her cool.

"Who seems to like you, child?" the man asked, kneeling himself beside her.

Bella leaned onto her elbows, and stared at the man. He had long blonde hair tied back into a pony tail, and he wore only ratty jeans, and a zip up hoodie with no shirt underneath. He was very good looking, and if that didn't give what he was away, it was his eyes.

"My family," Bella's voice answered back, trying to sound assertive. She was proud of herself that she didn't let her voice slip. "They like me." What was she saying? She sounded like a bloody idiot.

"Are you sure about that?" He cocked an eyebrow at her, and Bella suddenly felt unsure.

"I don't know…I guess…" she trailed off when the man shook his head. She had no idea what he was getting at, and she especially had no idea why she was letting herself get worked up over something a stranger was saying. "Who are you?" Her eyes scanned over his body again.

"I'm James. And I think you don't fit in here. It's easy to see."

Bella's breath caught in her throat. She knew this deep down inside because she told herself this everyday, but she had never heard it from the mouth of someone else…

"Really...but…" her voice trailed, and her breathing was rough. Bella hated appearing weak. She wanted to be strong like Emmett, and never lose a battle.

"I wouldn't lie to you. It's obvious." The man leaned in closer, and Bella leaned forward, interested in what he had to say. "How does starting over somewhere with _your_ kind sound?" he asked.

"Humans?" she asked, confused.

He chuckled. "No. _Hybrids. _Half humans…half _vampires_."

Her eyes widened, and suddenly she was on her feet and pushing her annoying hair out of her eyes. She had never heard of the word, and she couldn't understand why he would compare her to that. "You're insane." She stared at him, and when he cocked an eyebrow at her, she tried to walk past him.

He knew she'd try to escape her reality. The Cullen's had kept her brilliance a secret. She needed to know, and there was one way to show her…

The vampire grabbed onto her arm and spun her around to face him. Her eyes were wide with fear when he pulled her wrist towards his mouth.

Bella couldn't find her voice when he yanked her arm quickly up to his mouth, and before she could even think about pulling away from him, he bit his teeth into the flesh of her wrist.

She yelped from the pain shooting up her arm, and through her hand— almost as if it was on fire. The quick vampire covered her mouth to keep her quiet, and held her back pressed against his chest to keep her from squirming.

Never in a million years had Bella thought becoming a vampire would happen so out of the blue. As happy as she should have felt at that moment for becoming what she had always dreamt of, something in the pit of her stomach told her that this wasn't right.

She waited for the pain to further spread to her body— just as she had remembered Carlisle describe the burning sensation, and the feeling of death. The pain was bad, but it wasn't as intense as thinking death was around the corner.

Bella's heart rate was slowing down as she realized her body was slowly lifting the burning sensation away, until finally, her arm felt just like her other one; completely normal.

The vampire let her go, and Bella spun around immediately to accuse him of witchcraft of some sort. If he was really a vampire, which he was, she should have been on the ground in pain at that moment.

Bella stared at the bloody bite mark on her wrist, evidence enough that she hadn't dreamt up the whole thing. Her breathing started to pick up again.

"See? Not so human after all, are you?" The vampire slowly walked around Bella, who was completely in shock. She wasn't paying attention to his mind games at the moment; her own mind was off in her own head, trying to figure out what she was. The vampire pressed on. "Well, the blood shows you're a human, and so does your beating heart." He grinned deviously when her eyes met with his. Bella snapped out of it, and was waiting for the word she so desperately did and didn't want to hear. "But I not being able to change you can only mean one thing—"

Bella cut him off, already knowing the answer. "I'm already a vampire…" she whispered.

He nodded. "Barely…But yes, you are. Just enough to be different. And that's okay to be different."

Bella couldn't believe it. She was special after all. She had vampire in her…Did her family know? The vampire in front of her answered that for her.

"Yes, your family knew. They hid you from the world, when really, you should be showed off." He began to circle her again, and this time, Bella didn't let herself turn her back to him. "Come with me, to Italy. It's where other hybrids are meeting, and you can be trained to use your vampire abilities."

Bella's attention perked up. "I have abilities?"

"Of course. You have vampire in you, so there had to be something that your human self isn't aware of that's unique. In Italy, you'll be trained to release it, and use it to your advantage."

The vampire smiled when he saw that she swallowed his statement.

Bella's eyes darted around, and she couldn't think straight. She began to picture herself with people like her—no, _Hybrids_ like her.

Italy sounded too far. She had read about it in books, but never had she pictured herself going. She had never been out of Alaska, and she didn't know how she would cope with new surroundings. But her family…They lied to her. They kept her hidden, and locked in what felt like a shell at times.

The vampire standing in front of her was growing impatient. "Answer now, or else I walk away, and you will never know what's out there." He took a step away from her to panic her into an answer. But whether Bella answered yes or no, he would take her with or without her consent.

"If I say yes now, can I change my mind when I get there…I might not like it…"

The vampire grinned. "Of course. If you want to leave Italy at any time, it's your decision," he lied.

It was clear then. Bella wanted a different life. She wanted to feel apart of something, be apart of the greater good, and most of all, to be apart of a result. Her mind was made.

"Fine, I'll go with you."

He grinned at Bella, and offered his hand to her. "Come, we have a long way to go. You have all the time in the world now."

Bella's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

"You no longer have to worry about time and loosing it. You have vampire in you; therefore, you can't technically die."

Her heart felt like it was going to rip through her rib cage, her breathing was erratic, and her eyes were glued on his. "I can live…_f-forever_," she whispered.

James nodded, and smiled at her. He knew this was the final straw, and he had officially roped her in with giving her this information—which _wasn't_ fabricated.

Bella grinned hugely. She now knew she didn't belong in Alaska, and that's why she took the man's hand, and took a leap of faith.

But little did Bella know this leap was off a cliff, headed in the direction that she didn't want to go.

-x-

**Recap: **

Bella does not like living amongst the elite, and because the man made it seem like she will find her place in life, Bella agreed to go. Bella also feels betrayed by her family.

Hybrids are like vampires, and can live forever. It's also difficult to kill them, like vampires.

BTW, Alice did not see James coming. He happened to come across Bella, and it was spur of the moment.

**A/N: **

I don't have an _official_ Beta. You guys are my Beta. Tell me your likes and dislikes.

**Song: Live Forever by Oasis**


	3. Highway to Hell

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything...unless we're talking about this great storyline, and in that case, yeah I do.**

**Chapter 3: Highway to Hell**

_No stop signs, speed limit  
Nobody's gonna slow me down._

_-AC/DC_

-x-

_**Year 2012**_

The Cullen's had come a long way since their piece of heaven had been taken out from under them. They were functioning—as much as they could anyway. But their lives would never be the same. That's probably why the distraught family finally decided to pick up and leave their Alaskan home after around fifteen years of hoping.

Hope was one thing, but denial was another; both were separated by a very fine line. The Cullen's knew this.

But the family had something to slightly brighten their spirits today. Alice had gotten a vision. A good one.

"He's coming here." Alice tilted her head up after the vision played behind her eyelids, and smiled at her family. It had been a journey coming to Forks. No one really wanted to leave Alaska, but it was time for a change.

"That's good." Jasper rubbed Alice's shoulders soothingly, and in return she gave him a hesitated look. She knew her brother's return would bring heartache, but she couldn't see the cause.

"Why now? He should stay hidden." Rosalie stood up from the couch in the family room, and barged out of the room. Emmett, being her shoulder to cry on, followed. He knew she was upset with Edward for waiting so long to return. To say Rosalie had been difficult these past years was an understatement—she had too much anger to contain, and often took it out on the ones that loved her the most.

"She's just upset," Carlisle tried to convince his wife, who sat frigid next to him. Carlisle pulled Esme close to his side, and stared into Alice's eyes. "When will he be here?"

Alice closed her eyes, and tried to refocus the vision again. "Three days," she sighed. "He's taking his time, traveling by car."

Esme smiled, and felt her spirits lift as she thought about the possibilities his return could offer.

Possibilities were endless—especially _this_ year.

-x-

Edward hadn't gone home in over fifteen years. It wasn't because he was stubborn…Well maybe a little, but it was because he liked being on his own too much. He didn't have to answer to anyone, put a smile on his face, or come out of hiding. He liked living in the dark, and being absolutely miserable.

He had heard about what had happened to the child many years ago. Alice had called him after it happened. She sounded completely heartbroken, and begged him to come home that very second to comfort the family. But even then, he still didn't return home. The hybrid child replaced him, and he wasn't about to come home when it disappeared, just so that he could be second best.

Plus, Edward couldn't sympathize with his family. They lost something when they found out she was stolen. She was a hybrid—and the Volturi rewarded vampires for bringing them forward so that they could be destroyed. It was normal—she didn't fit into the human category, or the vampire category.

One thing Edward couldn't figure out at the time was why he was choosing to return _now_. After so many years of not seeing his family, and only talking over the phone a few times, why was he traveling across the country to return to them? Did he finally feel good enough? Did he finally let them suffer enough? He wasn't quite sure.

Edward sighed and continued down the dark roads of the Phoenix highway without any plans to stop for anything. He had no map, and he had only one destination in mind. Forks, Washington; the Cullen's new home, and soon to be his.

-x-

_**Phoenix, Arizona- 3am**_

It was quiet, for the most part.

The old Phoenix highway laid out for miles, without a single car in sight. It wasn't a popular road to travel on. Most folks preferred the fast lanes of the bigger highways, with less curves, and better roadside destinations. That's why it was mostly unused and collected dust from the sandy dirt around it.

But tonight, at exactly 3am, something changed.

A propane truck, traveling the unused roads for a sense of security, collided with something large enough to cause the 18 wheeler to fish tail, and form a barrier across the deserted highway.

The driver, an older man whose retiring date was just around the corner, was knocked unconscious the moment the truck struck the unknown.

After the screeching sound of metal snapping and glass shattering, silence filled the air.

It was quiet again.

_**3:21am**_

The girl lifted her head from the pavement, and glanced around at the destruction that she was lying in the middle of.

Glass was all around her, along with pieces of scrap metal. Directly in front of her, an immobile 18 wheeler was parked sideways across the deserted highway. The front of it was sunken in, like it had smashed a wall, and the windshield was completely shattered out.

The girl had no recollection of where she was, or what had happened. But what scared her the most? She had no memory of who she even was.

She looked down at her foreign body, and gasped at the sight of it. She was drenched in blood, and ribs were sticking out from her hoodie, and her legs looked contorted. She lifted one of her hands from the ground, and saw that it was completely smashed, and judging from the color of her fingers, they looked like they had no circulation in them.

The girl wanted to cry, but she was in so much shock that she couldn't. She just lied there, feeling every kind of pain imaginable, and tried to ignore the fear sinking down into her stomach. Moving was out of the question; she couldn't even feel her legs, and her spine felt like it was sticking out of her back.

The girl knew what was coming for her. She didn't have to know who she was, or where she was to know what comes after such pain.

_I'm dying, _she silently told herself after closing her eyes to fight the pain. She prayed that the death would be quick, and held her eyes shut even harder when the pain somehow worsened as the minutes ticked on. _Any minute now, _she told herself.

But since the girl didn't know who she was, and more importantly didn't know _what_ she was, she didn't know that there was no way death was finding her; her praying was pointless.

She waited for death anyway, and as she did, she tried to search her mind for any form of memory. But her mind was shooting blanks at her. All she could remember was waking up in this hell.

That's when the anger set in. Because everyone knows, anger originates from fear, and she had plenty of that to go around.

Her breathing started to get heavy, and she snapped her head up and watched her chest rise and fall easily, the pain somehow subsiding. Her eyes darted back and forth between her mangled body and the destroyed truck. That's when she saw the driver.

A man, up there in age, had his head resting on the steering wheel, passed out from the hit. The girl watched him as he regained consciousness.

The man opened his eyes and gasped at the destruction in front of him. He had no recollection of how his truck had gotten ruined—until he saw the girl lying on the ground, staring up at him.

The girl saw the man staring at her, and she stared back. His face was covered in shards of glass, and blood was flowing along the wrinkles of his face. His forehead had the deepest laceration of all, and she could swear she saw the skull from where she was lying. The most frightening part of all was his eyes—they were wide and housed so much fear.

The man knew he was in trouble. He remembered now. He knew what had happened.

The girl removed her gaze from the man, and looked back at her body. She gasped.

It was nearly perfect. Her hand was no longer crushed, her ribs weren't sticking out from her hoodie anymore, and she couldn't feel any pain at all when she moved slightly.

The girl leaned up onto her elbows and looked at her legs, which were perfectly fine. She then stood, and double checked her body, but like before, it was like she had dreamt the injuries up. But she knew she hadn't. Her tattered and bloody clothes were evidence, and when she snapped her gaze back up to the old man, his eyes told her he knew what had happened.

She snarled at the way he was staring at her, and her hand automatically snapped up to cover her mouth.

Did she just growl? It sounded like it.

"Please," the man whispered in between jagged breaths, "don't hurt me."

The girl knew he knew something, and it was instinct for her to interrogate. Her animalistic side began to come through, and she raced around to the driver's side of the truck, and jumped onto the cab too easily.

Her movements frightened him. They weren't quick, but they were fluent. It was inhuman considering she had just been in an accident.

"What happened here!" her voice was like a growl erupting from her stomach, and the man only quivered with fear, unable to answer her question. His heart pounded hard in his chest, and he could feel the sweat forming beneath the blood. "Answer me!" she screamed. She reached forward to open his door, but it was jammed shut. She then only had a vicious glare to use down on the old man.

His face was terrified. He was visibly shaken, and suddenly, she snapped out of her moment long terrorizing. She wanted to scream in frustration at everything, and she had no idea why she was taking it out on an old man. She had herself under enough control to try and get him to speak- willingly if possible. She tried to calm down the man, and this time, she used a softer voice.

"I'm not going to hurt you," she tried to reassure him. She could see the fear across his face from a mile away. The girl didn't understand it. "Just tell me…what did you hit?" Her voice became menacing towards the end, not that she could help it. She was scared of herself- scared of who she was, and more importantly, what she was.

The old man quivered one last time, wiped some blood from his vision, and before taking one last jagged breath, gave her his answer. "_You_," he choked out before toppling over onto the steering wheel. The old man had been frightened to death— quite literally.

The girl stared down at his lifeless body, but couldn't fathom what he had told her. She knew if he spoke the truth she should be dead, and if he was…She wasn't normal, like him.

But little did she know, the old man wasn't lying. His truck had struck her, and her body had created all the destruction on the old phoenix highway. She just didn't remember.

The girl jumped down from the truck and stared at her shaking hands. She couldn't keep her nerves under control. Just the idea of not being _normal_ had her skittish.

She was forced to come back to reality when she saw the flames dancing at the backside of the truck out of the corner of her eye. And as she turned her head to see the complete picture, her eyes grazed over the huge logo on the truck.

_Pete's Propane _

Her instincts kicked in. She may not know who or what she was, but she knew an on fire propane truck wasn't a good thing.

The girl snapped her body around to make a run for it, but the flames had already come in contact with the flammable gas, and an eardrum explosion was heard by the girl as she was thrown into the air, and greeted by the color black.

The dark phoenix sky lit up from the explosion, and the girl laid lifeless on the side of the road, having been killed for the second time this early morning.

-x-

It was just another night. The sky was a clear dark black, housing several stars, with a moon off to the right, lighting the mountains nicely. It was a nice night to drive.

Edward wasn't quite sure why he took the old back roads of Phoenix, but it wasn't to be a witness of the huge explosion half a mile away.

"Christ!" Edward swore, slamming his breaks at what he was seeing off in the distance on the other highway. Bright orange spouted out from the mushroom shape, and then disappeared just as quickly, with dark smoke floating into the dark sky.

Edward had no idea what he was getting himself into when he made the decision to check out the destruction he had just seen. He veered his car to the right, and took the shortcut off the highway and onto another sandy road.

It wasn't like him to change plans, but it was definitely like him to overreact.

As he drove towards the explosion, his mind searched for any survivors. If he could hear someone else's thoughts, they were alive…if he couldn't, they were gone.

Besides the sound of the flames dancing around what was left of the truck, and the occasional tumble weed blowing across the dirt, silence was all around him.

But Edward had to blink at what he was seeing about a hundred meters from the destroyed truck. His ears had told him no one survived, but his eyes were showing something else…

Edward pulled his car up until he was ten meters from the lifeless form, and sure enough, his eyes hadn't been playing tricks on him. A human body laid lopsided near the side of the dusty road, completely still.

"Jesus…" Edward whispered to himself. He didn't expect to find anything near the explosion, let alone anyone. He had just been curious, and came over to see the damage. But now, he could clearly see that it was a human lying on the ground, not moving.

Edward stared at the lifeless form for a few moments, and contemplated what to do next. If the human was dead, it didn't matter, and he could leave. If the human was alive, it also didn't matter, and he decided he could leave as well. But the question was why did he feel this tug to get out of his car, and go and check for himself? He couldn't answer that.

Maybe it was the universe, trying to bring back two souls who never had the chance at meeting.

Edward got out of his car, and walked over to the unconscious human. He immediately held his breath the moment the air shifted and wafted the spilled blood his way. He couldn't believe how good it smelled- almost familiar- but that was probably because he hadn't hunted in awhile, which was foolish of him.

He stared down at the motionless human, covered in blood, and was glad the human's hood was up so he didn't have to see what probably was a mangled face from the explosion.

Sure enough, the human wasn't breathing, and there was no sign of a heartbeat. It was dead.

What had he expected? The human had been thrown over 100 meters from the truck.

He shifted his gaze away from the body, and looked back at what was left of the flaming truck. He sighed. He couldn't understand what caused the accident to begin with, but he knew humans were reckless and terrible drivers, so anything was possible.

Edward decided he wasn't going to waste anymore of his time on this human, and when he turned to go back to his car, he wasn't expecting to catch a movement from the body out of the corner of his eye.

The moment the girl's heart picked up its beat, she gained consciousness, and her eyes flashed open to the darkness around her. She instantly flipped over onto her hands and knees, and started having a coughing fit, all the while not knowing what was going on around her.

Edward spun back around and couldn't believe his eyes. _It_ wasn't dead like he had thought. It was alive, and when it turned its head to look at him in shock, he realized _it_ was a _girl_.

"Who are you?" she snapped. Her voice was raspy, cold, and scared. He could tell she was trying to hide her fear, but she was failing miserably.

The girl stared around the guy in front of her, and took in her surroundings. She had no idea where she was, and most importantly, who she even was. This frightened her, but for some reason her head was telling her not to show weakness. Instead of crying and running from the stranger in front of her, she tried to hold her ground.

Edward took a step away from her, and rolled his eyes. He had already wasted too much time pulling over, and to be standing in front of a rude human girl was not worth his time.

"Relax. You're being hasty for no reason. And I could ask you that very same question— who are _you_?" He watched as she looked down at her dirty clothes, stared at her hands, and then locked eyes with him.

His breath caught at her beauty under the hood. And her eyes…He hated admitting he could find a human attractive.

The girl spoke up. "I don't know," she admitted to the boyish looking guy, losing any ounce of hardness to her. Her throat felt like it could close over from the amount of fear pooling up inside of her, and if she didn't hold herself together, she would spilt down the middle.

Edward stood still and watched the frail human slowly begin to lose her cool. He didn't know what to do, nor did he care what happened to her. It wasn't his job to take care of the weak.

The girl in front of him was getting more and more nervous by the second. She didn't know what was going on, and tried to make the situation go away by covering her face with her hands.

That didn't work.

"Were you apart of the explosion?" Edward didn't know why he asked such a stupid question. Actually, he didn't even know why he was still talking to the human. He should be backing away, getting into his car, and heading to Forks now.

The girl's head snapped up at his question. She had no idea there was even an explosion. "_I don't_ _k-know_…" her voice cracked at the end.

Edward was shocked. Not from finding out she had lost her memory, but learning that he couldn't read her mind. He tried to force his mind into hers, but there was nothing to grasp. It was just space around her, and his mind came up blank. This frustrated him beyond belief, and he found himself having to interrogate her to get the information he for some reason needed.

"Can you remember your name?" his voice was assertive and he didn't care if he frightened her.

The moment the word _name _left his lips, the girl's mind began working, and tearing into itself to come up with an answer. There was one, and she could see it from a distance, but she just needed to grasp it.

Edward watched as the girl looked into space. To him she looked like she was having a mental debate. Little did he know, she was on the road back to finding herself.

Time ticked on, and miraculously, the girl caught what her mind was trying to throw to her.

"Bella Swan," she said her name with confidence and assertiveness. It was _her_ name, and with that, she found a piece of herself that told her not to be afraid. She knew it wasn't like her to back down. Bella stood up from the ground and glared at the boy in front of her. "Now who the hell are you?" she barked back, nervous still.

The boy in front of her chuckled, and crossed his arms. She mocked his stance, and didn't let him intimidate her.

"Edward," he said simply. He watched as the girl took it in, and her eyes traced over his body.

Bella still had no idea who she was, or why she was letting herself talk to this stranger. But he didn't seem threatening, or look it really. From what she could see in the moonlight he had bronze hair, dark eyes, and permanent furrowed eyebrows—nothing too frightening.

"What are you staring at?" he asked when her rude staring didn't end sooner than he would have liked.

Bella scowled at him, angry he had the nerve to say that. "Go fuck yourself." She covered her mouth when the words left her mouth, not knowing where that had come from. But it was already too late.

Edward shook his head in disbelief by her attitude. He knew he shouldn't have wasted his time on a human. "You're unbelievable. Have a good life." He turned to go back to his car but he stopped for a second when the girl called for him.

"Hey!" she said quickly, and she felt grateful when he looked over his shoulder at her. "You have a last name to go with your first?"

Edward sighed, and decided it was useless information that couldn't hurt giving up. He just wanted to get out of there. "Cullen," he said bluntly, and turned to get back into his car, not paying any attention to Bella's frozen state.

He said _Cullen_, and the moment it left his lips, Bella had frozen. She knew the Cullen's in a past life, and she knew she had heard of _Edward Cullen_ before. Sure enough, memories tumbled back into her, and bits and pieces of a family she didn't quite remember resurfaced.

_She was young, and was staring at herself in the mirror. She hated the way she looked. Then her brother came over and started tickling her, removing her from her self pity. He was blonde, and very good looking._

More memories of a family she couldn't quite remember came back to her, and she tried to put names with the images of beautiful faces streaming through her head, but they remained nameless. She closed her eyes as the images played on in her head.

_She was talking to a man, and was frustrated with what he was saying. The man had red eyes…_Bella opened her eyes and stared into space. She watched as the Volvo in front of her started back down the highway, leaving her to fend for herself.

She didn't care. Bella was trying hard to remember what her mind was trying to tell her, but nothing new was resurfacing. The memories she was given were pointless now, especially since she was stranded in the middle of nowhere.

She groaned in frustration, but when she closed her eyes, another memory came back to her.

_She had been having the worst day ever, until the man with red eyes had given her the best news. She grinned hugely and took his hand, and left her family._

Bella gasped and opened her eyes. She remembered feeling betrayed by her family, but couldn't remember why. She just knew she left in a ball of fury, and when she looked up in the direction of the Volvo, she remembered why she had never met this Edward Cullen before.

He had distanced himself from this unfamiliar family too, and that made her feel like she wasn't crazy for doing it.

Edward stared at the motionless human figure in his review mirror. He desperately wanted to know what was going through her mind right now, but nothing was coming through to him. He was intrigued by why she was staring into the distance like that, perfectly still.

Then Edward realized something; she had nowhere to go, and no one to contact, and even though he was a vampire that hated humans, he had an ounce of pity for her. Just an ounce though. He blamed how good she smelled on making him do crazy things.

He thrashed his hands hard against the steering wheel, and slammed on the breaks, causing them to screech. He watched as the girl started jogging towards him, correctly assuming that he was stopping for her. Edward debated taking off again, and leaving her, but she was already at the passenger side door, climbing into the car.

"What changed your mind?" She didn't even look at him when she slammed the door shut, and adjusted herself into the seat. "You felt bad, I'm guessing?"

Edward gritted his teeth. He was regretting letting her into his car. "Listen, I'm just a good guy helping a stranded _human_." He tried not to choke on the last word. "I'm just giving you a lift back to civilization, and then you can figure yourself out there."

Bella rolled her eyes to herself, and didn't bother arguing with him. She just stared out the window, and told herself everything was going to iron itself out in due time. He was just being harsh, but she didn't really care. She was glad that he was somehow tied into her past; she just wanted to desperately remember it.

Edward hit the gas and started down the dark highway, but he wasn't done with his little rant. "And as far as I'm concerned, we have nothing in common, and we never will."

That did it for Bella. She had to let him in on her secret. "Except for the fact that once upon a time we both ditched the Cullen's."

-x-

**Recap: **Bella is a hybrid, and obviously can't be killed. She _technically _dies (medically speaking, there isn't any heartbeat, and she isn't breathing), but this only happens for a little while each time, and she wakes back up without any memory of what has happened to her. Almost like being reborn.

That's what has happened to her twice in this chapter. Once from when the truck smashed her, and once when it blew up, and knocked her out cold.

I know, it's confusing I guess, but answers are coming.

Bella looks like she is in her late teens (like Edward...OOoooh) so about 17.

And also, Bella doesn't know Edward is a vampire.

**A/N: **Review. Please review. I know I sound like a whore saying this, but that's what I am.

**Song: Highway to Hell by AC/DC**


	4. Scars

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer, chill out. I know you created these characters. But you only wish you created this fanfic...which you didn't.**

**Chapter 4: Scars**

_Our scars remind us that the past is real. - Papa Roach_

**-x-**

"Except for the fact that once upon a time we both ditched the Cullens," she said.

Edward snapped his head towards her and glared her down. He was confused by her statement. "_Excuse me_?" he clenched his teeth to keep from yelling at her. The way she was being nonchalant angered him.

Bella flinched from his harsh tone, but didn't let it startle her out of telling him the truth- well some of it. She still had no recollection of who exactly her family was, but she knew her and this Edward guy were both somehow tied to the same one.

"Your last name," she stared out the window up at the sky, and tried not to get distracted by the bright moon, "it triggered some memories of mine."

"Why would _my_ name trigger _memories_?" he growled the last part, and Bella turned to look at his hard jaw line. She had to remind herself to concentrate on her thoughts because his looks all the sudden got to her.

"Because we're both from the same family," she said this nonchalantly, and turned back to look outside.

Edward slammed on the breaks. He was infuriated by this mysterious girl. He knew she was a liar, probably a con artist, and now that he thought about it, she was probably playing him the whole time. He finally broke. "Get out." He grabbed her by the shoulder, and reached across her lap to open the car door.

Bella swore. "What the hell! You don't believe me!" He shoved her out of the car too easily, and Bella was on her ass.

"How dumb do you think I am?" Edward asked her, but he didn't give her the time to answer. He slammed the car door shut, and didn't even feel remorse when he drove away from her for the second time that night.

"Asshole!" Bella slumped down on the highway, and laid down on her back. She realized how crazy she must have sounded to him. He had never known her, and she had never known him, but she knew they were connected by this unknown family.

She covered her face with the sleeve of her dirty hoodie, and groaned into her arm. Maybe she _was_ losing it. It was too random.

But Bella wasn't losing it. She had been right about her memories about Edward, and he just needed to figure it out. Lucky for the both of them, Alice had just had a vision, and she was two seconds away from calling Edward to ask if she was losing it herself.

Edward's phone vibrated in his pocket.

He let it go through. He wasn't in the mood for talking. He was still fuming over the fact that some human was trying to bum a ride by faking memory loss, and coming up with the idea that they were both from the Cullen family.

_Ridiculous._

The phone continued to vibrate, and Edward had had it. He reached for his phone in his jeans, flipped it open, and growled into it. "WHAT?"

"EDWARD CULLEN WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!" Alice's voice was full of venom which he wasn't prepared for.

Edward figured out she must have seen the human girl in a vision, probably stealing money from him or something. "Relax Alice, I dumped the low life human a few minutes ago. It's taken care of." Edward wasn't prepared for the wrath that came next.

"YOU IDIOT! DO YOU REALIZE WHO THAT WAS! THAT WAS BELLA!" Her voice had managed to sound even more threatening than before, and even climbed an octave higher.

Edward snapped back at her. "Who the hell is she?" Edward could hear Jasper and the rest of the family trying to tell Alice to calm down, but Alice wasn't listening to any of them. Edward still had no clue what was going on.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU RIGHT NOW!" She was trying to get a hold of her temper and failing miserably, "That was _BELLA SWAN_, the hybrid girl that Carlisle found, and was taken years ago! SHE'S ALIVE!" Alice was now sounding like herself from the amount of squealing mixed with screaming in the background.

Edward stared at the road in front of him, completely thrown off on what he had just learned. He couldn't speak, or even think. Not in a million years had he thought it'd force its way back into their lives- and he had met it tonight. The same one that forced him out of his home a lifetime ago was coming back to mess everything up _again_!

"Edward?" Carlisle was now on the phone, breathing heavily into it. "Is it true? Did you find her?"

Edward sighed into the phone. He'd rather talk to Alice than Carlisle right now. He knew what Carlisle was going to ask of him, and he simply couldn't do it. He decided to try and explain his side. "Yes and no. I found her, but ditched her too. She isn't trustworthy—" Alice was suddenly back on the phone, yelling at him again.

"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD EDWARD IF YOU DO ANYTHING TO HURT HER, _I SWEAR_—" Alice couldn't keep a hold of herself, but Carlisle managed to get the phone away from her.

"Edward you need to get her back to us. She isn't safe out there on her own." He sounded like he was begging. "Please son, give her a chance and do this for us. She has no one—"

"She says she doesn't remember anything! She pretends she barely knows who she is, and where she came from, but I know better. If she is who you think she is, that means she's been with the Volturi all this time. What am I supposed to do with that?" He didn't mean to growl at Carlisle towards the end, but his temper got the best of him—especially since he was being cornered into doing something he didn't want to do. Edward had sworn many years ago that he would never be apart of _it's _life, and he was intending on keeping that promise.

"Alice says she's completely harmless and very confused. Just get her home to us, and then we can assess the situation. Just give her a chance this time. I know you'll do the right thing," Carlisle said lowly into the phone, and before Edward could argue with him, he hung up the phone.

Edward was livid. Carlisle had a way of making him feel guilty, and that's why he decided to try again with the hybrid. He'd take the hybrid home to them, and then they could see how she has been playing them all.

He threw his phone into the back seat, and tangled a bunch of curses together as he did a tight U turn on the deserted highway.

"This is _not_ happening…" he hissed to himself.

But it was. This was far from a dream. The last person you want to see on this earth always manages to stumble back to you. Life is funny like that.

He raked his free hand through his hair, but that did little to calm him down. The situation Carlisle was forcing him into was going to be unpleasant, and he couldn't see it working out.

His eyes zeroed in on the body lying on the road, and when his car headlights lit her up, she rolled over onto the side, and looked up at the car.

The look at her face made him tighten his hold on the steering wheel. He hated the way she cocked an eyebrow at him, and stood to cross her arms, as if she was accusing him of doing something wrong.

"You're back—again," she said this with acid in her voice when she opened the passenger door.

"Get in," he said this without any emotion, and turned his gaze to the highway in front of him. He was choosing to ignore her as much as possible.

For some reason, Bella had the biggest urge to throw the offer back in his face, slam the door, and run away, just to stick it to him.

She didn't do that though. Her better judgement prevailed this time because it was telling her another opportunity for a ride wasn't coming around soon.

She got into the car slowly, and even before she had a chance to shut the door, he was already speeding down the highway.

Bella yelped. "Christ! Give me a chance to get in. You're going to kill me!" She slammed the door shut and huffed loudly when he didn't respond, but she could have sworn she heard him mutter something under his breath.

"What was that?" she asked, inclining her head towards him.

Edward ignored her again, and stared straight ahead at the dark highway road.

Bella sighed and chose to ignore this frustrating boy beside her. She was beginning to regret even meeting him…No, that was a lie. She felt grateful for knowing at least one person in her life. But why did he have to be so difficult.

The car was filled with silence after that. Both Edward and Bella wanted to figure the other out, but neither was willing to be the first one to break through the surface and ask the tough questions.

They were both incredibly stubborn.

Bella kept stealing glances at the boy from under her hood as he drove.

He was young, maybe in high school, probably college, and was very handsome. His bronze hair seemed to shine from the moonlight coming through the sunroof, and his skin was very pale. But Bella decided that his eyes were the best part of his face. They were warm and cold at the same time. They invited her in, but told her to back off at the same time. She liked that. It was mysterious, and that only made him more attractive.

Edward was trying to catch glimpses of this mysterious girl named Bella as well. He could see the glow of her skin, and pieces of dark hair falling out from under her hood, but he still hadn't been given the pleasure to stare into her eyes again.

Edward scolded himself in his head for even thinking like that. He blamed the scent coming off of her for making him crazy. She smelled incredibly wonderful, and that made him hate himself _and her_ even more. Her scent still appealed to him like it did when Carlisle had brought her to their Alaskan home.

Edward clenched his jaw harder, and continued holding his breath to keep from doing anything dumb. He tried to keep his gaze on the dark highway in front of him, but he couldn't help but notice Bella's hands were shaking.

"Are you cold?" he asked out of nowhere, confused by how he had a worried tone in his voice. He didn't wait for an answer. Edward quickly turned on the heat, and reached for her hands.

The moment their skin came into contact with each others, what felt like an electric shock ran up and down their arms, causing the rest of their bodies to tingle with pleasure and their stomachs to fill with butterflies.

Bella flinched away from his touch, and Edward nearly took the car off the road.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, unable to explain what may or may not have just happened.

"It's ok. I'm just nervous, that's all," Bella lied. She couldn't explain it either, so she chose to ignore it. She was off in her own little world again, trying to piece together who she was, and why she would trust someone with a name she had only heard from a family she wasn't quite sure of.

Edward snapped her out of her day dreaming with a question.

"What were you saying before…something about both of us ditching the same family…Do you or do you not remember anything?" Edward tried not to sound aggressive with his question, but to him, her story wasn't adding up.

Bella tried to find a good way to go about explaining it. "I only remember a few memories, like two maybe are clear enough. One was of me when I was younger, wishing I was pretty, and the other was me running away from home." Bella chose to leave out certain parts that still didn't make sense to her.

Edward shifted in his seat. He wasn't sure what to make of her pieced together story. He still didn't trust her. She was a hybrid, and since he couldn't read her mind, he couldn't know for sure if she was working with the Volturi or not. And she said it herself…_she ran away from home_…and wasn't taken like his family had thought. It was her decision, so why should his family open their arms back up to her?

"That's it," she sighed.

Edward rolled his eyes in his head. He couldn't take the lies. He just wanted to know how the hell she was still alive, and if she was still working with the Volturi. But Edward didn't want to push her away just yet though. If she knew he was on to her, she'd run away again for sure. For now, he'd have to play along with her innocent act, and botched memories until he could get the facts straight.

"How come I've never met you?" Bella asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. He found the question easy enough, but he chose to beat around the bush a little, and catch her in a lie.

"How do you know you haven't?"

"Because I just know. You left for some reason…like me…Why?"

Edward hesitated. He didn't want to spill to much to her, yet his leaving wasn't relevant information that needed to be hidden. He just needed to be careful about leaving out the part where he was upset about living with a hybrid…

"I just didn't like living there," he said, which was true enough. That's as far as he was willing to go with her.

Bella nodded. "I get that."

She did too. Her mind was bringing back memories of moments with this family where she felt inadequate. She didn't know why she felt that way, but she knew the feeling was there.

Edward didn't respond, and just concentrated on driving. He had been driving for quite some time, and when a nearby exit came, he surprisingly took it. Edward was sick of being behind the wheel, and wanted to be free of sitting next to this intoxicating hybrid that was making him feel all weird inside.

"I'm pretty sure there's a place where we can stop up here." Edward nodded down the long road which looked like it actually had some civilization to it.

Bella nodded. "Still the same deal?"

Edward looked at her with a confused face. He had no idea what she was talking about.

"You take me back to civilization, and then I can figure myself out from there," she mocked his voice from before, and she grinned slightly after.

Edward reminded himself not to inhale her scent, but he forgot when she smiled slightly, and her scent hit him like a pile of bricks to the face. His throat felt like steam was ripping through it, and the venom very well could have been pooling in his mouth.

Edward clenched his jaw shut to keep from murdering the hybrid to the right of him.

Of course, that wouldn't be as easy as he thought. He wasn't very educated about hybrids.

"No. The deals changed." Edward could barely get the words out without thinking about taking her life right there in his car. He just had to think of what Alice said on the phone.

"Says who?" Bella felt guarded all the sudden, and without realizing it, she slid her hand onto to the car door handle just in case she needed a quick escape.

Bella's frightened antic took Edward out of his thirst for her, and brought him back to the reality where she was fearful of _him_. This frustrated Edward. "Relax," his voice wasn't calming to her though. "My sister called. She wants to see you—everyone does."

Bella snapped her eyes to meet with his, and nearly melted to the seat when she looked into his dark ones. They were so mesmerizing—

Edward almost took the car off the road again. Bella had a certain affect on him.

"How do they know I'm with you?" Bella straightened up in her seat, and removed her hand from the door. She was interested now.

"I called them," he lied. "Apparently you _are_ someone they lost." Lost, ran away, taken…whatever. He wasn't going into detail with her; that was someone else's job. He decided it didn't matter. She was still a hybrid, and that meant they would _never_ be on the same level of understanding.

Bella sunk lower into her seat. What he had just told her made her feel like it wasn't true. Something in her was telling her that she wasn't exactly _lost_, and that maybe she had chosen her own fate.

"That's why you came back for me?" She cocked her head to the side, and because he didn't answer her, she took that as a yes. She laughed, but it wasn't because her situation was hilarious. She was laughing at the fact that he was being forced into something he didn't want to do. "Edward," she said his name clearly to get his attention, and he snapped his head around to look at her the moment his name left her lips.

Edward liked the way she said his name, and that infuriated him to admit that.

"Thank you," Bella said seriously. "I know you didn't want to help me, but you did anyway."

Edward tightened his hold on the steering wheel, and didn't respond.

Yes. She _definitely_ had an affect on him.

-x-

Bella was still off in her own little world, searching her brain for any piece of information of her identity. But her mind was a maze, and she was currently losing to it.

She sighed, and crossed her arms over her rib cage, and looped her fingers through the holes in her hoodie. She desperately wanted to know why she looked the way she did.

"We can stop at a rest stop or something. Get you a change of clothes, and maybe find something to eat," Edward offered lowly. He wasn't offering it for her though. He couldn't take another minute in the car, trapped with her strong scent.

"I don't know…if you want," Bella shrugged. She didn't know what she wanted. She didn't know if it was ok to stop and rest or not. But that's when something occurred to Bella, and she couldn't keep it to herself.

"Were you my boyfriend?" she asked out of nowhere.

Edward swerved the car again, and snapped his head to stare into her intense brown eyes. If she hadn't cocked an eyebrow at him, he would have stayed in that position forever; she had the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen.

"No. No I wasn't." He stumbled over words, and cleared his throat at the awkward silence after.

"Brother?" she asked, although she doubted she even looked like him. She didn't even know what she looked like, and she knew she wouldn't be blessed with looks like his.

"No. I don't know you at all. Like you said, we've never met. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time."

"More like wrong place at the wrong time," Bella said lowly to herself, thinking Edward couldn't hear.

Edward didn't understand what she meant by that. The Volturi probably scripted her to say that. It was all apart of the act. He was only sure of one thing; he would give anything for a glimpse into her silent mind to know for sure.

"There's a motel down this road…we can stop there."

"Ok." Bella said simply.

-x-

Bella didn't even hear him come back into the motel room. She had been staring at the TV, not really paying attention, but just dazing into space.

"Bella?" Edward said her name again, and her eyes traced over onto his. His breath caught at the sight of her eyes. "Ummm…I got you some…ugh…well, here." Edward placed a few items he had bought from a corner store down the street. A tooth brush, toothpaste, a bag of chips, and other sweets. "They didn't have any clothing, and they had nothing too great for food…" he trailed when he caught her smile, and he swore his legs nearly gave out. He had no explanation for why he was reacting so strangely towards her.

"It's ok. I'm not that hungry anyway." She rolled her eyes at how he was actually concerned for her, and that's when Edward got the feeling that she wasn't used to being looked after.

"You're used to being the only one to look after yourself, aren't you?" Edward took a seat on the bed to the right of the room, and watched her inch her way over to the items he had placed on her own bed.

"I'm not used to anything. I don't remember." She didn't look up at him, but Edward could practically hear her rolling her eyes at his stupid question.

"Oh, that's right," Edward played along with her.

Bella noticed the way he had said that. She knew he didn't trust her— and he shouldn't. She could be a murderer, hitch hiking her way across the country, using her innocent tactics, and girly looks to prey on unsuspecting boys like this one. Yet, she doubted she was that much of a criminal, but even more, she doubted she would have looks that could kill.

Bella stood up from the bed, and walked over to the mirror beside the TV. When she looked at her dirty reflection in the mirror, it was sort of what she expected. She pulled down her hood, and long brown hair fell out around her face.

She sighed. Of course she wasn't beautiful. Her hair was the color of dirt, and under the mud on her face, she could see the palest skin. But the worst part were her eyes- completely blank, and a horrible shade of brown like her hair.

Edward was glad he was sitting on the bed; he would have fallen to the floor when she removed her hood. She was so _beautiful. _Her hair, although a little dirty from the wreck, was thick and full of body, her skin, hidden behind some mud, was pale and perfect. And her eyes looked even brighter, lit up from the light in the small motel room.

He saw her disappointed look in her eyes, but he didn't understand where it had come from.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, confused by why she looked like she could cry.

Her face cleared over, and went back to being blank. She shrugged. "Nope," she lied, popping the 'p' at the end.

He let it drop, and watched her out of the corner of his eye as she slid onto the bed to face the wall, lying on her side for some privacy.

Bella stared the wall until her eyes grew tired, and when they began to droop, she glanced down at her arm. She inhaled at the sight of a shiny scar no longer hidden beneath the hoodie. She pulled up her sleeve and her eyes grew wider as they traced over the numerous white scars along her arm.

_I probably don't want to remember where I've gotten these, _she told herself. _I should be glad I don't remember where I've been, who I am, and what I've done._

Little did Bella know, she was absolutely right. Her past wasn't anything to brag about, and she should have felt lucky she didn't remember it.

Edward peered outside and stared up at the dark, starry sky.

It was twilight, and the moon was barely visible anymore, moving away so that the sun could eventually take it's place. The motel was silent for the most part, except for the random car driving by every once in a while.

He sighed, and leaned on the wall to stare at the new development in his life.

Bella had fallen asleep a couple hours ago. He watched as her chest rose and fell from her slow breathing, with her arms placed protectively across her ribs. Her eyebrows were squeezed together, and her heart rate wasn't calm considering she was resting.

Bella was far from calm. She was trapped in her own mind, dreaming about terrible things. Her body would flinch every so often from the impact of the dream, causing the boy across the room to flinch in response from her distress.

Edward was arguing with himself on whether or not to wake her up. She looked like she was being tortured silently, but she wasn't screaming in pain. Instead of shaking her awake, he chose to keep an eye on her from across the room- he liked looking at her from a safe distance.

Her hair was falling out of the hoodie, and the way it traced over her jaw line, and slid off her face made him want to come over and touch her face. His eyes then traced over the rest of her perfect body, and that's when he froze.

If it wasn't for the slight light shining through the window, he probably wouldn't have noticed the small semi circle scar near her wrist.

His eyes zeroed in on it instantly, and he took a few steps closer for a better look. Edward carefully leaned over her sleeping body, and held his breath in order not to be tempted by her luscious scent. He traced the scar near her wrist, and was intrigued to find that it was colder than her warm skin. He recognized the shape as well.

Edward's other hand clenched by his side when he discovered more scars when he inched her sleeve further up her arm. He knew where scars like that came from, but it didn't make sense for a hybrid to have them. He felt angry all the sudden, and his rage was forming a snarl deep in his throat, ready to come out.

But before he could start tearing the room apart in frustration, Bella flinched from his touch, and her eyes shot open. She had forgotten where she was for a second, and her eyes darted around the room, and stared at the boy in front of her.

She backed away from him until her back was touching the headboard of the bed, not removing her eyes from his dark ones.

"It's ok. You're fine." Edward held up his palms to show her he meant no harm, and she slowly relaxed a little. He couldn't help but watch her as she fidgeted with her hands awkwardly, and pulled the sleeves of her hoodie to cover her hands.

Bella shrunk back down onto her back on the bed, and tried not to think about why Edward was staring at her. Her breathing was heavy again, and she couldn't decide if it was from the nightmare she had just had, or from him being so close.

But Edward interrupted the silence.

"I'm sorry about frightening you. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable." He had found his way back onto the edge of his own bed, but he couldn't keep his attention off of her.

Bella was laughing on the inside. She was more than uncomfortable. For some reason, looking at the scars on her arms made her tense. There was a memory begging to come back to her, but her mind wasn't ready for it. This frustrated her beyond belief, and it took everything in her not to get angry.

Edward finally sat down on his own bed, but stayed facing her direction. "Those scars…Maybe you'll remember soon."

Bella snapped her head up and glared at him. "Why would I _want_ to remember where I got them? They don't look like they came from happy places."

Edward actually was taken back from the hiss in her voice, and how she had gone from zero to a hundred in two seconds. It reminded him of himself, and his vampire tendencies to over react.

"Well I'm just curious, that's all. Imagine how I feel not knowing you, and you claiming to not know yourself. It's only natural to want to know more about the unknown." Edward for the most part kept his voice calm, but when he saw Bella shaking her head at him, his voice grew louder.

Bella stared in amusement at Edward. "You said _claiming_. You don't believe me." She didn't question him. She simply stated the truth.

Edward didn't deny it. "No. I don't believe you. You're not just some normal girl. God only knows what your past is like."

"I _am_ just a _normal_ girl. Time will prove that," Bella hissed back. Although, she couldn't help but feel this twist in her stomach as she said this.

"Too true. Time _will_ tell," Edward said. "And since you're such a _normal_ girl," the sarcasm was thick in his voice, "what were you dreaming about before? They say dreams have a lot to do with where you've been in life, and where you're going. Any insight on that theory?"

Bella kept her gaze on the wall as she replayed the images in her mind. She cringed. "I don't remember," she lied.

Edward could tell by her quick response that she was not being honest.

"It was just a scary nightmare. It's nothing I want to remember," she told him.

But it wasn't just nothing. Bella didn't know it yet, but those nightmares weren't just dreams. They were once her reality.

The room was silent for quite some time after. Neither of them knew what to say, and both felt that arguing would get them nowhere. It could have been hours, minutes, or seconds before Edward finally spoke again.

"Well, I bet your memories are still around, you just need the help to try and find them. The sooner the better too. I know a doctor—"

"_No!_" Bella hissed, and without warning she twisted off the bed at an incredible speed, and slammed into the wall. As soon as she made contact with the wall, the jip rock crumbled from the impact of the hit, and her shoulders had created a pretty nasty hole in the wall.

Bella immediately shot up onto her two feet, and stared into Edward's eyes. She was beyond shocked at her own strength.

Edward could only stare in shock as well. Had he just witnessed that? His eyes stared back into hers, which were wide with panic, anger, and fear. He was about to go over and calm her down, but she spoke too soon.

"I'm sorry…" She spun around and entered into the bathroom at a much slower pace than before, and shut the door behind her.

Edward's body was frozen. He couldn't think or even process what he had just seen. Bella had thrown herself at incredible speed into a wall, and instead of the wall hurting her, she hurt the wall.

Bella was most definitely a hybrid, and judging from her reaction, he knew for sure that she had no idea she could do that much damage.

And honestly, either did he. She had looked like a vampire for half a second.

-x-

Bella stared at herself in the mirror of the tiny bathroom, and tried to get her mind under control.

What she had just done out there was impossible…Or so she had thought. Something inside of her wasn't surprised at her inhuman abilities. It almost felt natural, yet completely unnatural.

Bella tried to get a grip, but as she stared at her frightened dark eyes, only memories of her frightening past came back to her.

_She was being pinned down on a surgeons table by three men. She was frightened at what was coming, and as she got angrier from the fear, her strength grew exponentially. _

_Eventually, she managed to slip through the men's grip, and slam herself into the far wall of the windowless, dark room. _

_But the men were quick- too quick- and pressed her back against the wall as another man raised her wrist above her head, and pierced something sharp into her flesh._

_Pain came over her._

Bella snapped her head away from her reflection, and took a few steps away the mirror that was accusing her of a shady past.

Her hands were shaking as she pulled the hoodie over her body, and threw it to the opposite side of the bathroom.

She was too scared to look at her other wrist which would prove immediately if she was sane or not. But instead, she stared down at the plain navy t-shirt she was wearing, covered in blood, with lots of holes, and tried to remember why she looked the way she did.

Her body began to shake. She knew she couldn't avoid_ it_ any longer.

She pulled her wrist up to her gaze, and inhaled at what she saw.

A tattoo, with the numbers _**122112-15 **_printed vertically in black ink up the center of her wrist glared at her.

Her breathing became more defined, and her head began to spin when more memories pooled into her.

"_Do it!" the man screamed at her. _

_She stared down at a frightened elderly man, lying on his side on a dark street, and when Bella looked into his eyes, she knew she couldn't kill him. _

_Instead, she hesitated, and that's when the man screaming beside her shoved Bella out of the way, and did it himself._

_She simply watched as the elderly man got his head kicked in, and then his ribs were kicked through to his back._

_Bella did absolutely nothing to help either party. She just watched._

_Next thing she knew, what she had just witnessed was being done to her…all for failing to comply to an order._

Bella covered her mouth to keep from screaming out from the harshness of the memories coming back to her. And as she held in the sobs that were trying to make their way out of her chest, she could see the reflection of her tattoo in the mirror.

That only added wood to the fire.

She reached out and smashed the mirror.

One hit was all it took, and shards of glass covered the bathroom floor.

Bella didn't let herself feel any pain from the hit. Humans were allowed to feel pain… but she now knew she was a monster…the flashbacks of her past told her that. The way she moved was inhuman, and the tattoo on her wrist was proof that it wasn't just a dream.

Bella Swan was not normal, and besides making her feel anger towards herself for getting herself into those situations, she felt scared for not knowing what was to come of her next.

She wiped the traitor tears away from her cheeks, and looked over at the bathroom door. She decided she needed to get the hell away from the boy on the other side of it. He was right about her…she wasn't a normal girl, and even though she couldn't quite remember what exactly she was, she knew it wasn't safe to be around him.

Bella had this sinking feeling that she was doing something wrong being with him, and even though she still couldn't remember her past, she knew her past was looking for her.

Bella stared at the door handle and knew what she had to do.

Run away from it.

-x-

**Recap: **

-The italics are flashbacks or memories. I hope that is clear enough.

-Bella is on her way to figuring out what she is. She knows she isn't _normal, _but she doesn't know what exactly she is.

-Edward didn't trust her at all in the beginning. He believed she was still soaking with the Volturi. But after watching and listening to Bella freak out about learning she wasn't all that normal, he realized he had made a mistake with her. He believes now that she did actually lose her memory, and wasn't faking it.

**A/N: **

Next chapter should have a slight fight scene between Bella and Edward. Don't worry, they won't kill each other. It should be interesting.

Anyway, this fanfic is on its way. I just need to get the information out there.

**Song: Scars by Papa Roach**


	5. Cupid's Chokehold

**Disclaimer: **Miss Meyer has the imagination, and I stole some of it from her by making this fanfic.

**Chapter 5: Cupid's Chokehold**

_She's got a smile that would make the most senile  
annoying old man bite his tongue.  
I'm not done.  
She's got eyes comparable to sunrise  
and it doesn't stop there.  
Man I swear,  
she's got porcelain skin, of course she's a ten. – Gym Class Heroes_

-x-

Edward was pacing outside the bathroom, listening to Bella lose it in the bathroom.

He was anxious now. What he had just witnessed was like nothing he had ever seen. He didn't know she was a hybrid who had that kind of ability. She was so _much more_ human than vampire—or at least that's what he had thought until now.

Why had she acted out?

He wasn't sure. Something about what he said…

_Doctors._ She had a problem with him saying he knew a doctor.

Edward leaned on the far wall of the small room and tried not to rip his hair out of his head.

Bella was getting to him, and if she didn't come out of that bathroom in two minutes he was going in there after her.

But he had been wrong about her, and she had the right to want to hide from him.

Bella _actually_ couldn't remember her past, and Edward felt like an idiot for doubting her.

Edward's head snapped up to the sound of glass shattering in the bathroom, and he made the correct assumption that Bella wasn't liking what she was figuring out about herself.

Edward knew what she was going through. He could relate to her, and understand seeing the monster stare back at her in the mirror.

His eyes became slits when the bathroom door creaked open, and he saw Bella peer out at him through the crack. He took in a ragged breath at her appearance.

Her hair was more wild than before, her hoodie was gone, and revealed more scars and something on her other wrist.

Bella stared at Edward, who was casually leaning against the far wall of the room. The way he looked at her made Bella want to shrivel up and die. He seemed to be accusing her of something with his eyes, and sizing her up.

Bella cut her eyes to the dark carpet, and tried to pretend he wasn't staring a hole through her. She knew he already didn't trust her, and that was with him knowing very little about her.

This wasn't true though. Edward knew more about her than she knew of herself at this point— but Bella didn't know that. She still saw him as that annoying, asshole of a human, and herself as some unknown creature- completely unworthy to live.

If only she knew.

"Bella—" Edward didn't get his chance to reassure her that everything was going to be ok. She spoke before he could try and make things clear for her.

"You were right."

He stared at her, watching the hesitation in her stance. He didn't know what to do.

"I have to go. It's not safe here for me or even for you for that matter—"

"Calm down, you're overreacting," he spoke quickly, and kept a careful watch on her calculated movements. She didn't have a chance at getting away from him— but she didn't know that.

Bella was now completely out of the bathroom, and calculating the exact way to go about getting around him to the door. He stood directly in front of her, so she'd have to be quick.

"Hey, look at me." Edward took a step towards Bella, and when he did, her glare met his.

"You don't know what you're dealing with," she spat out through a clenched jaw. She watched him carefully, taking in his controlled stance, and noticed the way he shifted his weight so that he was slightly leaning more forward.

"Why don't you tell me then? I think I can handle it." Edward took another step towards her, and this time Bella let out a hiss from her throat. She took in a sharp breath after, scaring herself instead of him.

He watched as her eyes darted between him and the door behind him, and he knew what was coming. She had figured out that she was different, and it was forcing her to run. _That_ he could relate to.

Edward decided he needed to speak first. He didn't want to have to chase her, and end up hurting her. Carlisle would be so disappointed if he let her get away, and Alice would murder him if he let anything bad happen to her.

"Don't do anything stupid. Just listen to me first—"

She didn't want to hear it, and before he could finish, she jumped onto her bed, crossed onto his, and launched herself towards the door.

She was airborne for all of half a second and she could almost taste the freedom in front of her- until she felt cold arms wrap tightly around her waist, and thrash her back the way she had leapt from.

Edward tried to be careful when he shoved her onto his bed. But she was putting up a decent fight, and all he could do was lean over her so that his body pressed her down onto the bed, and locked her beneath him.

He had to ignore the thoughts running through his head caused by the feeling of her bare skin on his. She was so delicate, fragile, and warm- it was so hard to believe she was even a hybrid at all.

Bella thrashed beneath him, and tried to put up a good fight. But he was strong. Too strong. It was easy for him to take control, and crush her beneath him. This upset her, and her instincts kicked in for her to get out of this tight circumstance.

"What are you doing! You can't control me—"

"Shut up and listen." He covered her mouth to cut off her snarling, and leaned in so that he was only an inch away from her face.

Bella didn't want to listen, and she did everything she could to avoid his eyes that were trying to make contact with hers. She thrashed harder against him, and tried to get out from under him.

His voice was rough and came out of nowhere. "Do you know what a hybrid is?"

Bella's eyes widened and her body went rigid. Her mind was suddenly opened to a whole new world of memories- all revolving around her knowing what she truly was.

"_How does starting over somewhere with your kind sound?" the man with red eyes asked her._

"_Humans"' she asked, confused._

_He chuckled. "No. _Hybrids._ Half humans…half vampires."_

After the flashback, Bella knew exactly what she was. She was no longer left in the dark with the possibilities of not being normal. Now she knew; there wasn't a chance in hell that she was normal. She was a hybrid for Christ sake.

Bella's eyes locked with Edwards, and she could finally see the gold poke through the darkness of his eyes. He was so good looking, and his skin was flawlessly white—

She knew what that meant. She squirmed, frightened of what she had gotten herself into.

"Relax. You're safe here." Edward realized she figured out what she was, and possibly what he was.

Bella had figured out what he was. She knew he was a vampire after more memories came back to her- one scaring the shit out of her, and being the reason why she wanted to get away from Edward.

"_Never back down Bella!" a voice yelled from behind her._

_Bella knew this rule, but she couldn't force her feet to take a step towards their impending doom._

"_Come on! Attack him first!" the scary voice yelled harshly behind her._

_It was too late though. _

_Bella didn't have a chance to take an advantage hit first because when she tried to charge the figure in front of her, it flipped out of her way, and came at her from behind._

_Her back was snapped instantly, and Bella collapsed from losing the feeling of the bottom half of her body, and being paralyzed by the pain and fear._

_But that wasn't the worst that could happen considering she was fighting a vampire._

"I'm not going to hurt you. You just need to calm down—" Edward snapped her out of it, but she wasn't going to let him control her like those mysterious figures of her past.

Edward was suddenly on his back on the floor. Bella had managed to gain enough anger to push herself over the edge, and shove a strong vampire off of her.

She didn't have time to think, and tried for the door again. Her hopes were high when she grabbed onto the steel doorknob, but her spirits fell when she felt him grab her around the waist again.

Edward was angry now. He was just trying to help her, and what does she do? Try and run, and cause more trouble for him. He was done playing with her.

He may have let her touch the doorknob this time, but there was no way she was turning it. The moment her skin came in contact with the steel, he launched at her waist, and slammed her against the wall.

He knew he had done something wrong when he heard the 'pop' sound, and when she inhaled sharply from the pain, he felt something turn inside of him- like guilt or regret maybe. He had to ignore it though. He could fix her later, but there was no later if she got away now.

"Jesus Christ!" Bella cried out in pain after falling to the floor. Her shoulder had definitely been dislocated with the hit, and when she felt his hands wrap around her waist to help her up, she growled at him. "Don't fucking touch me bloodsucker!"

That's right. _Bloodsucker_. She knew very well what he was, and for some reason she had this instinct to put distance between herself and him.

Edward ignored her cries to let her go. Hurt or not, she needed to hear him out. "I'm sorry I hurt you." He picked her up easily from the floor, and when she tried to punch him in the face with her good hand, he found his rage again. "What is _your problem_!" He easily caught her hand before it could come near his face, and he didn't bother being gentle.

Bella cringed from his grip on her hand. It felt like he was two seconds away from breaking her knuckles. Tears began to brim in her eyes, and she wanted nothing more than to get away from him.

"I'm guessing you know some stuff now."

Bella didn't answer him, so he tightened his hold on her hand.

"_What's the tattoo from_?" Edward's voice was no longer friendly. His gaze had caught the numbers, and now was the time to get information. But when she didn't answer again, he didn't let it drop. He swung her back around, and pushed her up against the wall, this time not dislocating anything. He kept his hand gripped around her wrist, and his eyes glued on the numbers **122112-15**. "Answer me!" He shook her shoulders roughly, and when she yelped, and stopped and stared deeply into her eyes.

Bella was frightened now. She could see the monster he was- just like her. What had she done wrong in this world to deserve this? How had she gotten like this? Why had she forgotten her memory, and why was she being interrogated by a furious vampire.

"I don't know! I don't know anything!" she yelped when he began to tighten his hold on her wrist. "I swear. I only know I am a pathetic waste of a hybrid. That's it," she screeched. "Please don't hurt me…" she trailed.

Edward stared into her brown eyes, letting them unlock his anger.

He immediately let her drop to the floor, stepped over her crumpled body, and left her to be alone in the motel room.

Anger and rage were one thing; fear was a whole other. He read it off her like a book- and that's why he believed her when she said she didn't know anything else.

_**10am**_

The sun was just coming over the far side of the mountains in the distance, the sky was perfectly clear, and the air was humid.

Phoenix, Arizona weather—another reason why Edward had this sudden rush to get to Forks where the over cast was much more welcoming.

Of course, then there was the hybrid that he had in tow, which he wanted to dump immediately onto his family. He couldn't handle the dramatics of her situation. It was too knotted, and confusing. She remembered too little, and of too much. It was too great of a span to make it believable.

But he did believe her—he wasn't going to tell her that yet though. Information was a weapon, and he wasn't giving her one.

Edward had gone for a long walk during the night, and contemplated not even going back to the hotel room for the girl. It would be so much easier to turn his back and forget. But he would never be able to forget about her.

That made him angry. She still had this way of making him feel vulnerable towards her. He had never felt this towards anyone before- not ever.

He did go back to the small hotel room though, and he wasn't surprised to be greeted by a poorly lit room, two empty beds, and no Bella in sight.

Because _seriously_, why would she stay around? He had scared her to death, and she had no reason to stay. It only made sense to leave.

Edward covered his face and groaned into his hands. All he could think about was how much longer of a day it was going to be chasing Bella's trail, and getting her to come back to Forks with him.

And it was sunny out.

-x-

Bella crossed her arms over her chest and chose to ignore the hooting and hollering coming from a near by van. Teenage boys had pulled over at a local eatery of the small town, just down the road from the motel, and Bella was something shiny that caught their interest.

Maybe running away from one monster didn't exactly mean there weren't more out there—this time in human form of course.

But Bella didn't have any reason to stay at the motel and wait for Edward. She felt that being around him was detrimental for both of them, yet she didn't know why. It was just a sinking feeling in her stomach.

Clearing her head with a walk was the next best thing. Sure, she knew he could easily follow her scent, and that didn't bother her. Just being outside, on a street with normal people, made her feel better.

There was that word again.

_Normal._

She didn't dwell on it tough. It wasn't a word that could ever describe her. She was a hybrid. A stupid, pathetic _hybrid._

"Hey! We know you can hear us!"

Bella didn't give them a response to their hollering. They were immature, and not on her level…not that she knew what her level was exactly. Unless they were hybrids.

Bella shook her head free from her light hearted thoughts, and tried to focus on the ground. She would have to walk past the van that was parked on the curb in order not to look like she was avoiding them, and that was terrifying to her.

She was finding many things terrifying now that she knew a bit more about herself.

For starters, she remembered being taken away by a vampire. Except, she had made the decision to leave on her own. Why exactly she would leave a family that loved her was not yet clear, but the feeling of wanting more was apparent, and taking an unknown vampires hand made sense to her a long time ago.

But this is _now_, and Bella knew she had made the wrong decision. Somehow she knew deep down inside that _that_ moment so many years ago was where her life started going downhill. Luckily, she didn't remember the down hill part, just bits and pieces.

Bella no longer saw herself as an innocent being. Her memories gave her the insight that she had done terrible things, and terrible things were done in return to her. This made her feel inadequate to share the sidewalk with humans walking by her, completely oblivious to a greater existence than their own.

Bella wrapped her arms tighter around her shaking body, and tried desperately to remember anything more than faceless vampires, and fighting to what felt like the death of her. But so far, her memories were only of terrifying events that led her to believe she had chosen her fate.

In a way, she had at first, but things escaladed, and an option to get out never existed.

Bella was too wrapped up in herself as she walked down the sidewalk to notice the rowdy guys' just a couple paces away.

But they hadn't forgotten about her.

Her mind was literally ripped out of it's trace when a hand gripped around her upper arm, and flung her against the van.

Unconsciously, Bella hoped it was Edward, but when she looked into the eyes of an unfamiliar boy, she knew she wasn't that lucky.

She knew she'd never see Edward again, and for some reason, that bothered her quite a bit.

"I said, where are you headed?" The boy stared into Bella's unkept appearance, and grinned back at his buddies.

Bella felt uneasy from the way he grinned back at them.

"Let's go for a walk." The boy gripped her upper arm tighter and laughed with his friends at the look in Bella's eyes.

She was terrified.

The boy yanked her off of the van, and pulled her along the sidewalk; for some reason, Bella couldn't find it in her to resist his tug.

She knew she could be stronger than him if she wanted to be.

She knew she could yell loud to get someone's attention.

She knew she could simply run.

Yet, she did nothing.

Bella let him drag her down the street along the sidewalk, and when he suddenly yanked her into an alleyway, she felt the fear rise up into her throat.

But she still didn't let it erupt.

"How old are you?" the boy whispered into her ear after shoving her up against a brick building, and pressing himself against her.

Bella's eyes darted to her dark surroundings, and tried to picture anything _but _what was going to happen to her. Her mind did a quick scan, and somehow came up with the correct calculation.

She had been on this earth for nearly 20 years— not that she could tell him that. Bella had stopped aging years and years ago. She only looked to be in her late teens.

"17," she managed to choke out. Although, she was sure she didn't even look that old.

"You look good for 17."

Bella started breathing more heavily, and she wasn't sure if it was her heart or his that was beating loud against her chest.

All she knew was that she should be able to fight back, but she couldn't. She was too paralyzed with the fear of what was to come to do anything sudden.

As he leaned in closer to her face, instead of fighting him off, a new memory was triggered.

"_Never let them know you're afraid. Fear is weakness, young Bella," the vampire spoke._

_Bella trusted the old vampire. Yet as he spoke, she couldn't help but fear him and the words spilling from his mouth._

_Or maybe it was from what was to come._

"_I'm n-not scared," she lied. Her voice was too quick, and too choked up to hide her anguish over the situation to come._

"_You're a terrible liar. I can read you like a book- even with a closed mind, you're still so predictable." The vampire leaned in closely to Bella, and her eyes widened from the way he was looking at her. "Now surprise me, and don't fail this mission. Kill as many humans as you can, and make me proud."_

_Bella gulped. "Yes Aro. I will do my best."_

"_Your best isn't good enough. Try your hardest. Don't think. Just do it."_

"_Yes Aro."_

Bella's eyes widened when she was removed from her flashback by pressure on her lips, and a sick taste in her mouth.

The boy that had cornered her into the alleyway was forcing himself on her now, but this was as far as Bella was going to let it go.

She shoved him with human force away from her, but he barely made it two feet away before he laughed, and shoved her back up against the brick wall again.

"A fighter." He pressed his face into the crook of her neck, and took in her scent.

Bella hissed sharply, and tried to shove him away from her again, but this time he had a firm grip on her.

He was in control. And she wasn't.

"Just relax…" he whispered. That's when Bella's breath hitched, and her panic mode set in.

She felt weak, and her legs felt like they could give out from the fear running through her veins and into her lungs- which felt like they were going to explode.

Bella looked up at the sky, and tried not to cry like her memories had told her not to do. But she couldn't focus on the brighter side, because there wasn't one, and this time, being trapped in a dark place with a dark person was going to have a terrible ending.

And this ending, she would probably remember for the rest of her existence.

Just as Bella looked away from the sky and back at the not-so-innocent teenager, something changed.

A third presence was made known.

Bella's eyes widened as she saw the figure come out of nowhere.

The creature in front of her was more terrifying than anything she could ever remember seeing; and that's why she had this urge to run away from him as well.

Bella didn't know that she had no reason to be afraid. Because this creature was on her side; she just didn't know it yet.

If only she knew he was just blinded by his rage for her situation and ready to fight- for her.

-x-

**Recap: **

Bella now knows what she is. She just doesn't remember exactly where she was before, and who she was with. All she knows is that she was with bad people, and did terrible things. She has a lot of self loathing for what she is and isn't is now.

As for when Bella came out of the bathroom, she didn't know she was a hybrid, and she didn't know he was a vampire. But after he asked her if she knew what a hybrid was, it triggered some memories, and she knew what she was and what he was.

Also, in case you have forgotten, Edward doesn't know that hybrids can live forever.

**A/N: **

Btw, Edward probably sounds creepy, and dominant in this chapter. It's just because he doesn't like humans, and he doesn't like the way he is getting soft for this hybrid that has human in her. Remember: Bella was the reason he left Alaska to begin with. He doesn't like her very much, yet can't help but feel something for her. It's the beginning of something bigger.

Have a little faith people.

Please tell me if I am confusing you. I want to get information out there, and sometimes I forget to mention things.

**Song: Cupids Chokehold by Gym Class Heroes**


	6. Ignorance

**Disclaimer: **I own this story. Not _twilight_ though, or any of it's characters. Not like I care…

**Chapter 6: Ignorance**

_I'm just a person, but you can't take it  
The same tricks that once fooled me  
They won't get you anywhere  
I'm not the same kid from your memory  
Now I can fend for myself_

_Don't wanna hear your sad songs  
I don't wanna feel your pain  
When you swear it's all my fault  
'Cause you know we're not the same  
Oh, we're not the same  
We used to stick together  
We wrote our names in blood  
But I guess you can't accept that the change is good  
It's good_

_-Paramore_

-x-

It was hot in the streets. Lots of people around. Too many witnesses for a sparkly vampire to walk around in just a t-shirt.

Edward was taking his time looking for Bella while hiding in the shadows of the sidewalk shops, and using his hoodie as a disguise from the sun. He simply walked by the humans who didn't notice him under his hoodie, and clenched his fists when he walked by the humans that _did_ notice him. He despised the ones that fell victim to his attractiveness.

Edward cursed every human around him, and wanted nothing more than to hide or run away from them where they couldn't stare in awe at his face, and take him in and analyze him under a microscope.

That's how he felt around humans. He felt they were judging him before they even got a second glance, and that's why he kept his distance from them since his turning.

He continued to walk the streets, searching people's minds for the hybrid that was literally like nothing he had ever met. She annoyed him, pissed him off, and made him want to kill her before killing himself. But then there was another side to her…

He didn't like thinking about that side though. He chose to ignore it at the moment. Instead, he thought about all the reasons he hated hybrids, and that slightly made him forget about her being a person- and more like a monster. _Like him._

Edward's mind was cut off suddenly by the thoughts of a nearby human. He literally stopped in his tracks.

Considering he absolutely loathed the hybrid he had lost, it was unnatural for him to be so upset when he finally came across _her_- in a disgusting teenage boy's mind.

It took him two strides to get himself into the alleyway, one second to see the terror in the hybrid's face, and another second to feel this twist in his stomach consisting of anger, rage, and…fear?

What was he fearful of? He was a vampire. Nothing frightened him.

Edward didn't realize it wasn't himself he was fearful for. It was for Bella and her safety.

The boy pressing Bella against the wall was still completely oblivious to the third presence in the alleyway. He continued to breathe in Bella's scent, and trail his lips slowly up her neck, and below her ear.

Bella was frozen with fear. Her eyes were locked with Edward's, and she couldn't understand why he looked like he was angry with _her._

She didn't even have a chance to scream one last time for the boy to get off of her. Edward had grabbed him by his upper arm, and pulled him harshly into the other wall.

Bella tripped from the tug of the boy clutching onto the bottom of her shirt, tearing it from the force of Edward pulling him off of her. But she was on her feet immediately. Not by her decision. The scary vampire had lifted her from the ground, and placed her on the ground behind his protective stance.

Edward growled at the disgusting boy, who was shaking his head at the pair of them.

Bella didn't understand what Edward was doing, and why his body was placed so tensely and protectively in front of her. Bella didn't question it though. She kept her mouth sealed shut to keep from screaming with fear of the vampire and the other boy.

Edward stared into the boy's eyes, and tried to block out his mind that was forcing it's way into his. He had no idea why he was acting the way he was for Bella. He felt so protective of her all the sudden.

He actually wanted to _kill_ this creep in front of him. He wanted the boy to pay for getting in such close proximity to his—he corrected himself before he could think it—to Bella, he meant. _The hybrid_, he reminded himself. He snapped himself into not thinking about her as someone, but as something instead.

Killing a stupid teenager was the last thing he needed right now. And he knew that. He had the hybrid to take care of first for his family.

"Come on." He yanked Bella out of the alleyway, and didn't loosen his hold on her upper arm as they walked quickly along the sidewalk. Edward ignored the glares from humans walking past.

Bella couldn't.

She wanted to scream out to them for help. For anyone to get the vampire away from her…but that was impossible. Humans were kept in the dark about their existence, and that meant she was left to fend for herself.

So far today, that was proving difficult.

Edward didn't notice Bella's attempt to slow down her pace, and simply shoved her back into the motel room, and shut the door behind him.

Bella found solace in the corner of the room; the farthest distance from the vampire blocking the only exit.

To say she was frightened wasn't quite the word. She couldn't explain it. She was grateful for him just now, but fearful of him at the same time because of what he was, and what _she _was.

The day had barely started, and Edward was already regretting every moment of it. He was regretting getting into a verbal and physical fight with Bella, ditching her, and then losing her.

But mostly, he regretted finding her in trouble. He could have prevented the terror the boy had caused her, and even if it only showed in her eyes, it was enough to make Edward angry. He hated thinking about what could have happened to her, and he hated realizing this.

His option was to cover over his feelings, and pretend he felt nothing for her. He covered his rage well. He pretended he was only angry because Carlisle would be upset if he lost her.

But that wasn't the truth. It was Edward who would be upset if he lost Bella…he didn't let himself think that though.

Bella watched the outraged vampire pace back and forth in front of the motel door, and all she could do was to try and blend in with the wall behind her back.

She knew she failed when the vampire's eyes suddenly locked with her own.

She gulped.

Edward cleared his throat, and spoke clearly to her. "Are you alright?"

Bella nodded slowly, although she was still unsure why he would even ask that. She knew he didn't matter to her.

Edward relaxed a little from Bella's response to his question, although, he could tell she was lying through her teeth. The way she was cowering in the corner told him she was still frightened, and far from alright.

Then it hit him like a pile of bricks to the face. Why hadn't he seen this before?

"You're scared of me." He didn't make any movements towards her. He simply just stated the truth.

Bella decided it was pointless to lie beyond this point. She simply nodded yes, and pressed her back harder against the wall.

She wanted to be outside in the fresh air, where there weren't boundaries and corners to be trapped in.

That was it. Bella felt trapped with his proximity. When she stared at him some more, she couldn't help but feel déjà vu for her situation, and that only made the fear rise even more out of the pit of her stomach.

_This_ moment was so familiar to Bella. It felt normal for her to be cowering away from a vampire…if only she could remember why.

To Edward's dismay, his assumption about Bella was correct. He closed his eyes, and he pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn't want to scare her anymore by having an outburst.

"Is your shoulder ok?" he whispered through a clenched jaw, and sealed eyes. He remembered hurting her shoulder from before, and had forgotten to make sure she was ok. He felt kind of bad for hurting her…but he told himself it was her doing, and pushed the regret out of his mind.

Bella nodded, and waited for him to open his eyes to see her response. But he didn't, so she had to speak for the first time. She felt like she was standing on a stage, everyone watching her, and judging her.

She was scared to speak. But she did. "It's h-healed now."

Edward pulled his hand away from his face, and snapped his head up to pierce his eyes with her own. He wasn't sure if he had heard her correctly. "I'm sorry? What does that mean…it's healed?" He was confused, to say the least. He wasn't educated about Hybrids, and had no idea that they could live forever, and heal over short amounts of time.

As Edward stared at the hybrid in front of him, he couldn't help but feel helpless. She made him feel weak from his lack of knowledge of her. It was like he was playing with fire; she made him feel like she had this dominance about her, and was unstoppable.

Little did he know, she sort of was, in a sense.

Edward took a step towards her, and saw the frightened girl try and shove herself deeper into the corner. He found it almost laughable that she was a hybrid. She was more like a scared little child, frightened from a thunderstorm.

Edward didn't know how right he was about Bella.

She had lost her back bone the moment she figured out what _she_ was and what _he_ was. To her, Edward was the thunderstorm, and she would forever cower away from him until she learned not to be afraid.

Bella stared into the vampire's eyes, and saw only the darkness of them. They didn't house warmth, or kindness. She only saw her past in them, and that's why she felt like she couldn't trust him.

"I see you're scared. The sooner we get to Forks, the better. Then you might remember the Cullen's, and then I can leave you." Edward was obviously done pretending her existence wasn't a thorn in his side. He just wanted to dump her with his family, and get back to living a lonely existence.

Bella nodded her head when he stared at her, obviously waiting for an answer. But she was done speaking.

Edward sighed. He felt defeated by this confusing hybrid, and stepped outside of the motel room to get some fresh air.

This time, he wasn't going to ditch her just yet. He had already done that enough in his life; he'd wait until he got to Forks for that.

-x-

_**Late 1980's**_

_**Volterra, Italy **_

Bella had leapt into the unknown at full force by taking the vampires hand.

Then, she had risked losing everything by getting on the plane to Italy.

Worse of all, she ignored her heart when it told her to run away the moment she got to Volterra.

Yes. _She ignored her heart;_ the only thing in life that can't help giving up the truth.

Maybe she deserved what was coming then. She chose to overlook the whispers coming from her soul, which were directed by her heart, just because she was having an off day.

All the pain and heartache that was in her future was on her doing, that meant. It was her fault. It was deserved.

No.

Not even a hot headed, ill tempered, little hybrid deserved so much pain.

But it's hard to say when she was the one who made the decision to leave the lap of luxury, where a family was just in arms reach, and enter hell- maybe quite literally.

Bella didn't know _this_ was what it was going to be like.

James had disappeared the moment he dropped her off at the site. He left her to fend for herself, to walk the lonely halls of the dark building, and take in the uninviting scene on her own.

Living with _her kind_…how foolish could she have been.

The hallway had an ending after just a minute of walking it, and that's where the bright doorway was. Because everyone knows, even the darkest places have light.

Yet this wasn't a light at the end of the tunnel that you wanted to walk towards. It was the first step towards giving over your life, your morals, and your being—all for nothing.

But Bella didn't know that. That's why she walked towards the light, into the room, and was greeted by other people like her.

"Welcome. To the end of the line for you," a pretty woman with black rimmed glasses told her, pointing from a desk at the front of a room towards the line of people in front of it.

Bella went, stood, and waited with 14 others. Some looked her age. Some didn't. There weren't any hybrids; all vampires. But all of them were unified with the same uneasy look on their face. Strangely, Bella felt slightly comforted by that.

That's when a gorgeous man entered the room, holding a piece of paper, a pen, and a blank look on his face. He looked like he had done this a thousand times before- and he probably had.

Bella tightened her jaw shut, and watched with eager eyes as the man made his way to the desk, handed the woman the piece of paper, dropped the pen on the desk, and turned to leave.

The door to the bright room was then closed, and that's when the pretty woman at the front started to talk.

"I will only say this," she stood up from her rolling chair, and peered at everyone standing in front of her, "you sign this, you're in. You don't, you're out."

Bella stared at the paper that the woman with the glasses was holding. It was simply white, with no lines, and not a single marking on it.

Easy enough, yet not so much, as Bella would learn later on.

There was a shift on the room. Some stayed. Some left. Not that they knew it, but those that left the room also chose to wipe themselves from the earth forever. They were killed off immediately.

Luckily, Bella chose to write her signature under several others, signing over her soul for an organization she knew nothing about.

"Alright then." the woman circled to the front of her desk, and leaned casually onto it, "Welcome to Volterra, Italy. You are some of the lucky vampires, and in some cases hybrids, chosen for a chance to take part in the Volturri Guard."

Bella gulped. She had no idea what that meant. But she liked the words _take part in_. She always wanted to be apart of something.

"The fifteen of you will be numbered in order of your arrival. This is to keep track of you. We don't have time to learn names around here, and frankly, some of you may not even get to that point," the woman laughed casually, and looked down at her feet to choose her words more carefully next.

Bella waited impatiently.

"I can't offer you too much information in what you're apart of at this point, but I can say this…you are a few of the best there has to offer. And we only take in the best. If you make the final cuts, your lonely existence on this earth will no longer be pointless. You'll be apart of something bigger, and you'll be working alongside the most powerful beings on this planet."

The other confused vampires around Bella whispered to each other, and took in what they had just heard. They were unsure what this vampire standing in front of them was truly trying to convey.

Bella didn't care though. She just wanted to belong, and thought that _this_ place was the answer.

How stupid of her.

"This is the group you will be staying with for the first week," the woman held out her hands like she was introducing us to each other for the first time. "There are many groups already here, going through the vigorous process of selection, and training. Don't get your hopes up if you're the last one to make it out of your group; you'll just be added to another one later on."

Bella didn't know what that meant. Did you want to make it out of your group, and why would there be only one left?

These were questions that would be later answered for Bella, whether she wanted to know or not.

_**3 days later**_

There was nothing left in Bella. Her heart wasn't in it. Her mind was adrift. Her body had no life to it.

All that was left for her to do was listen to her surroundings.

Nearby, water dripping into a puddle echoed off the cement walls. A scurrying rat tip toed it's way through tunnels within the same wall, scratching the cement with it's sharp nails. Around her, stupid beings complained of their situation; their voices never louder than a whisper.

Yes. _Stupid beings._ They were all stupid. And so was Bella for coming to Volterra, and signing up for this.

What exactly she had gotten herself into was still unknown. But being tortured with sitting and waiting in the darkness of a pit led them to believe that they were foolish for going there.

And they were.

Bella flipped over onto her back and stared up into the darkness of her dungeon.

She had been waiting for something new to happen for days. Nothing did though. She and the rest of her group were just left waiting. Patience wasn't a strong suit of Bella's. That was one thing she had learnt about herself these last couple hours.

Something fell from the ceiling onto Bella's face, causing her to flinch from the coldness of the liquid. She quickly wiped it from her upper cheek, and tried not to think about what it could possibly be…but while trying to ignore one thing, her eyes flashed across her wrist, and she was reminded why she had a bright and shiny new tattoo of the number **15 **on her wrist.

She closed her eyes, and tried to force the imagines of being held down in a chair while a faceless vampire scraped the number into her wrist. But she couldn't shake her head clear of the dreadful memories of the pain, and how she had screamed so loud she thought her own voice was going to choke herself.

Bella felt something else fall from the ceiling and land on her cheek. But this time, she didn't wipe it away. She let the wetness of the room drip down on her. She felt like her body was moulding, but she felt she couldn't do anything about it because it was inevitable.

She didn't care. She was done fighting back. She was going to die in this place, and she was ok with that.

But little did Bella know, she was playing right into her captor's plans for her. She had been broken, and the next step was to be tamed.

Taming a four year old hybrid with pre-teenage tendencies? Not an easy thing to do.

The Volturi would figure that out sooner than later.

The door to Bella and her group's private hell slowly creaked open, causing a filter of light to shine through. Bella took advantage of the limited light, and glanced around at the faces of her new prison mates.

Like her, they were scared, and living in the unknown crevasses of their minds. It sucked living in the dark; both figuratively, and quite literally.

"Come with me," the figure's voice sounded bored. He even sighed when they didn't hurry up, and he had to motion with his hand to pick up the pace.

What was he expecting? They had been locked in the dark for three days, tattooed, and left to wonder what was to come next.

This was the next part though, and the answer the group was wanting was headed their way.

"Single file through that door." The figure pointed ahead of him down the dark hallway to another door. This time, it didn't have light coming out of it.

Bella gulped, and followed the others down the long hallway, and entered the cold room hesitantly.

But it wasn't a room at all. Bella entered what looked like a fighting pit- complete with a cage surrounding it, and seats for onlookers to watch.

Bella gulped.

"This is the pit. You fight to the death here. For most of you, this will be the last place you'll see—" someone spoke from the dark, but was cut off immediately.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!" a very scared vampire erupted in front of Bella, and even before she had a chance to divert her eyes away from what was to come, a vampire popped out of nowhere, and yanked the complaining vampire out of the room.

Bella tried not to listen to the snarls coming from outside the pit, but she couldn't help but hear anything but rips, and tears coming from behind her.

"If you want to survive this place…" the vampire that had led the disgruntled one out was back, "don't ask questions."

Bella's heart jumped in her chest, and the moment it picked up pace, the vampire that was speaking from the darkness came out of hiding.

The first thing Bella noticed was his looks; he was good looking, but also ancient looking at the same time. And his skin was more translucent than white; it looked more delicate than a human's.

But she knew he wasn't human. His eyes told her that. The deepest burgundy red stared into her dark orbs, and the when he took a quick step towards her, Bella's breath caught.

"I'm guessing you're not a human…" the vampire stared into her face, and took in her appearance. He noted that she looked like she was 12, and smelled it too. But he knew looks could be deceiving- not to mention they didn't take in humans.

She was here for a reason, like the other vampires. But since she was a hybrid, her case would be looked at more carefully. They had special plans for her kind.

Bella couldn't speak. Her voice was lost to her, and her body began to tremble.

"I'm asking you if you're a hybrid."

Bella nodded, unable to choke out any words.

The vampire found Bella amusing. He could tell right off the back that she was different. Not just the fact that she was a hybrid, but the way she held herself, and the way she was unable to look him in the eye. She wasn't like the others, trying to fake fearlessness- it was easy to read straight across her face.

He leaned in closely to Bella's left ear, and offered the lonely hybrid a piece of information. "The rumours aren't true…we don't take in hybrids _just_ to kill them...unless you give us a reason to." The vampire pulled away from the side of her face, and winked at Bella, who in turn nearly passed out. Her heart was beating so quickly, and her breathing was erratic.

She had never heard_ that_ rumour, and maybe if she had, she wouldn't be standing in the darkness of what is now her life.

"Your job is to survive." The vampire was no longer talking to just Bella, but speaking for all the curious ears in the dark room. "Survive, and prosper. That's when the real fun begins, and then you will become something greater."

_Something greater. _The words rang in Bella's ears like chimes, and her spirit perked up a tad bit. She felt relief after hearing this, and she could almost not regret coming here.

_Almost._ Because there was still the fact that this place wasn't all warm, cozy, and fun. It was quite the opposite actually.

Bella stared into the darkness of the pit, and tried to wrap her mind at what sort of organization she was in. It looked like she was in a fight club, where addicted gamblers bid on the man who'd come out on top and prevail.

But in this case, the only gambling that was done was betting with your own life, and whether or not you could follow the motto _kill or be killed._

"Many of you were given the chance to come here because you are special, and have gifts that are more unique than anything we can imagine. You are to use these gifts of yours in order to survive this place. Show us that they will be of value to us."

Bella's spirits fell. Now she knew she was going to die in this place. She had nothing special to offer.

"But some of you, of course, don't have the special abilities, and that means you'll have to work twice as hard to prove to us that you're worth keeping around. And what I mean by 'keeping you around' is not killing you off." He was done sugar coating their situation. "Because if you don't make the cut here, you're done. You already know too much."

Bella didn't feel that was fair at all. She didn't exactly ask to be let in on anything that would be detrimental to her existence. She didn't even feel like she knew anything special about where she was anyway.

But then again, she chose this.

She was the one who took the vampires hand, got on the plane, and entered Volterra.

She deserved what was coming…

_**Present**_

"I need to use to the bathroom," Bella whispered lowly when Edward went to turn out of the small gas station.

Edward's frustration returned. It had only been an hour and a half since they left the small motel, and already she was bringing out the worst in him again.

"Why didn't you go while I was filling the car?" He shoved his Volvo into park, and hit the unlock button for the car door locks. "Your existence is proving to be quite inconvenient."

Bella kept her lips sealed and opened the car door. Instead of upsetting him more with speaking, she slowly slid out of the passenger seat, and headed into the gas station bathroom, away from the angry vampire.

She didn't understand where his anger came from. He loathed her for some reason, and Bella had the sense that it was because of what she was. A hybrid.

It was understandable though. Bella didn't exactly like what she was either. It was inconvenient for her as well. She knew her kind were a rare form, and once upon a time sought after by power hungry vampires…

A memory was begging to get back into Bella's head, but like most times, it wasn't strong enough to puncture into her mind.

Bella sighed and stared at herself in the mirrors after using the bathroom. She stared at her dirty appearance, and tried to overlook her torn t-shirt while she glanced at her face.

Bella didn't think she was that pretty for having half vampire in her blood. She looked plain in her eyes, and was nothing in comparison to the vampire waiting for her out in his car.

She couldn't even believe she was still going along with him, and letting him take her to see his family. But there was a memory there, and Bella knew a long time ago, she once called them _her_ family as well.

Edward Cullen was one intimidating vampire, and her guts told her to stay away from his kind. But it was her heart that was telling her she could trust him, and that he was the answer to a part of her past that she had forgotten.

Bella pulled her gaze out of the mirror, and after washing her hands quickly, she left the bathroom of the gas station, and headed back out to where the Volvo was idling impatiently for her.

Edward watched in the rear view mirror as Bella walked across the parking lot towards his car at a snail speed. His grip tightened on the steering wheel when she stopped suddenly, and looked over at something that caught her attention. Edward followed her gaze.

Bella had this sense that someone was watching her, and when she looked over her right shoulder, she was proven right.

Not even ten feet away, a female vampire, with pure red eyes, and fiery red hair was glaring at her.

What happened next, not even Bella could fathom.

-x-

**Recap: **Edward is trying to make himself hate Bella because of what she is, and covering any possible feelings of not hating her he may have, with rage and anger.

Edward is also still unfamiliar with what hybrids truly are capable of. He doesn't know that they can live forever, and can heal easily. He only knows that they have basic vampire abilities, which he has already witnessed slightly with Bella.

Bella knows she is a hybrid, and is fully aware what being a hybrid is about. She knows that hybrids are rare, and that long ago they were looked for. She has yet to make the connection that that is what happened to her. Bella has also forgotten any training she may or may not have gotten from the Volturi. Her abilities are still unknown to her, and she figures she is just capable of nothing like other hybrids.

Bella is frightened of Edward because it is her instincts to shy away from vampires because of her past. She just doesn't know that yet. But for whatever reason, she is choosing to go with him, and give the Cullen's, which she barely remembers, a chance. She wants to remember that part of her past, and she thinks that seeing them will trigger something.

Also, James took Bella to The Volturi, who are looking for strong and useful vampires (for a reason which we haven't learnt about yet). Those that sign up are in it for good, and can never leave, and if they try, are killed immediately. Bella is apart of this organization now, and has been given the number 15 on her wrist, and added to a group that will slowly lose members as time goes on.

**A/N: **I don't really know what I should recap on in this chapter, so it would be great if you weren't understanding something to ask me a question in your review. That way I can message you and answer you, and also add it to the recap. I just don't know exactly what I should recap, and if I'm doing too much, or too little, or not the right stuff.

Also, the reviews…haha, guys if you read the chapter, _review_. This story gets tons of hits, but it doesn't have the reviews to prove it. Please review. Please.

**Song: Ignorance by Paramore**


	7. Good Riddance

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight. Well, at least not _yet_ I don't…

**Chapter 7: Good Riddance**

_Another turning point ,_

_A fork stuck in the road._

_Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go. _

_So make the best of this test and don't ask why.  
It's not a question but a lesson learned in time._

_-Green Day_

-x-

Victoria was nervous about being out in the open, especially in a high traffic area like a local gas station.

But she didn't know what to do. She was frightened of what was out there probably searching for her since she was taking her time getting back to the reservation.

It had been nearly two days since the high stakes mission had back fired; and all she could do was remember the dreadful sounds of people's flesh sizzling to a crisp, the smell of their hair burning, and worst of all….the screams.

Victoria shook her mind to try and free herself from the guilt. Usually thinking about something else would make her feel better, but there was nothing else. Her entire existence was now wrapped around the Volturi Guard—and that angered her.

She felt helpless all the sudden, and weaker than ever. Like if the slightest wind blew towards her, it would surly knock her to the ground and kill her.

To be killed…ooh that luxury Victoria didn't quite have.

She would have to go back to her group now. She wasn't dumb, but just to imagine being on her own…with her own thoughts, own ideas about the world, and to stand without someone breathing down her neck…

One can only dream.

Victoria popped the collar of her jacket to try and cover her face, but she knew it wasn't her face that would hand her over to the Volturi; it was the tenor of her mind, courtesy of tracker extraordinaire, Demetri.

She cursed herself for coming out in the open. She should have stayed to the side roads of Phoenix instead of coming out into civilization.

But it had its perks. Where there were humans, there were witnesses; and that kept her safe as long as she stayed in the public eye.

Victoria let out a gush of air when this occurred to her. Relief washed through her; maybe she wouldn't be caught so quick, and wheeled back into the organization she wanted nothing apart of anymore.

Or maybe they had already tracked her down, and were testing her to see if she would come crawling back like she always had in the past, or this time choose to grow a backbone, and slink off into the distance.

Victoria knew her answer; she would return to the Volturi, make it back for duty, and try not to make it look like she was dilly dallying.

She was a spineless prick; quite the opposite of her fellow guard member Bella, who chose to back pedal out of the situation the moment it went south.

Victoria closed her eyes and tried not to think of the humans who had caught Bella, herself, and a few other vampires looking inhuman. There only option left was to torch the facility they had broken into; James' idea of course, not hers or Bella's.

_Bella._

It stung to think of her. The look on her face when they had locked the humans in the building, and burnt it to the ground…

Bella was never made for this sort of world. She was too fragile, and emotional— like a child, and just as innocent as well.

But the things they had done that night to too many humans was far from innocent, and that's probably why Bella had finally snapped, and chose to run.

Victoria couldn't do that though, because she wasn't gifted with a private mind like Bella, who at this point was completely untraceable.

Instead, Victoria had to go back to the reservation where her leaders waited for the news, and hopefully, Bella had changed her mind and was waiting for her to get back as well.

As for James…he could burn in hell for all Victoria cared.

_**Year 2005 (7 years ago)**_

_**Volterra, Italy.**_

"Bella!"

Victoria stared at her lifeless friend's body, and cringed from the memory of what she had just seen done to her.

It was worse than usual; Felix had gone too far with his strength, and that's why Bella was no longer breathing.

"Damn it Felix! Why'd you have to take it to that level? She's only a hybrid for Christ sake!" Victoria was now shaking Bella's shoulders, urging her to take a breath, or regain a heart beat.

"_Just_ a Hybrid? Right. It's hurting us that she doesn't have anything special to contribute to the team, besides the fact that she can blend in with the humans-"

"So beating the life out of her will help in some way?" Victoria was now snapping her fingers in front of Bella's face, and shaking her more violently, not realizing she was probably doing more harm than good at this point.

She was just so worried for her friend. She knew her body couldn't take being killed over and over again. Victoria feared that one day, instead of Bella forgetting who she was, she was going to forget to even wake herself up, and be dead to the world forever.

Bella wasn't that lucky though. Her eyes snapped open after several more seconds of Victoria's poking and prodding, and like all the other times, she had no idea where she was, who she was looking at, and what her name was.

"Bella, you're fine. You'll remember everything in a second." Victoria propped her up so that Bella was leaning on her elbows, and tried to steady the hybrids quivering body. "Nice going Felix, you really did it this time."

"She'll thank me one day. She's really benefiting from my training. One day the speed will be there, along with the strength—"

"_Listen to you!_ She's not a vampire. She will always be vulnerable to our kind. That's why we're here to protect her!"

Felix was done hearing it from Victoria. He shook his head and left the annoying female vampire and weak hybrid alone in the dark pit.

Victoria stared into Bella's dark eyes, and tried to hold it together for her friend.

A year ago today, Bella and Victoria had beat the rest of their groups, come out on top, and were able to officially start training with the Volturi Guard.

Victoria didn't feel pride in their one year accomplishment though. She had seen and done so many terrible things to innocent humans and weak vampires alike. Sometimes, she regretted even joining the organization at all…

But finding a friend like Bella made it worth it- or at least gave light to a much darkened tunnel. They had met early on in the first dividing of the groups, and promised to stick together to the end.

And they did.

"Victoria?" Bella's voice was light, and questioning.

"Yes, it's me. You're in Volterra, Italy. With the Volturi Guard…" Victoria's voice trailed as she watched Bella's eyes flicker with memories coming quickly back to her. Usually that was all it took- one simple reminder, and Bella was brought right back to her reality.

Victoria felt guilty when she heard Bella sigh. "He beat me I guess." Bella was referring to the fight she had just gone through with Felix.

"Big time."

Bella covered her face with her hands and tried not to cry into them. "Do you ever get the feeling that this place isn't worth it?" her voice was incredibly low, but Victoria, being a vampire, easily picked it up.

"Every damn day," she whispered back.

_**January 1st, 2007 **_

_**Volterra, Italy.**_

Bella entered the small room with a single chair in the middle of it, and Jane stood at the front, watching her move.

It was uncomfortable. Not just because of the claustrophobic atmosphere, but also since Jane wasn't one of Bella's favourite vampires.

She hated Jane because she felt so intimidated by her.

"Jane. You wanted to see me?" Bella hesitantly walked closer to the chair she presumed was for her, and when Jane nodded towards it, Bella sat.

"Bella Swan. How long has it been since you've been with us?" Jane wasn't leaving time for there to be silence in the room. She was getting right to the point of their arranged meeting. She too didn't like Bella, but not because she felt intimidated by her, but because she felt useless with a power that had no affect on this weak hybrid.

"Umm…" Bella had to think. She didn't' know exactly. She couldn't really remember a time where she wasn't with the Volturi. Her past life was a vague memory.

"Over 15 years," Jane answered for her. "And you still know next to nothing."

Bella stared at the ground. She felt that wasn't true. She had come a long way since her first arrival. She had survived the vampire boot camp, survived the Volterra room & board, and survived living under a careful watch.

All Bella knew was the way of the Volturi guard; she had grown up there. And to say she knew next to nothing made her angry.

Bella masked her anger well though. Jane was her superior, and mouthing off to her would be just plain dumb. Instead, Bella kept still and listened.

"You have no idea why you were brought to Volterra in the first place, do you?"

Bella sighed lowly. She knew Jane knew the answer to her question. But she answered anyway. "No. I don't."

It was the truth. Bella had learnt early on in the organization that 'finding yourself', and 'being apart of something bigger' wasn't exactly the real reason she was brought to Italy. There was something more, and she was dead set on finding out what this 'more' was. That's why she had lasted so long; she had this strive in her to outlast everyone, and to be the best.

Jane smiled mischievously at her. "Well, now's your chance in learning why we need you."

Bella's eyes flickered to the figure entering the room, and noticed Jane slip out of the room quietly.

"Little Bella Swan…is that really you?" Aro's voice sounded like he was impressed with what he saw. "Who would have thought the little hybrid from Alaska would outlast, and officially be let into the Volturi Guard?"

Aro was the leader of the Volturi, and was rarely seen by new members of the Vulturi. He kept his distance from them mostly, and only ever intervened on meeting them when he felt a certain pull towards one.

Once upon a time, Bella was that one, and that's when he had discovered she was immune to his mind reading, and that's why he had kept her around so long.

Bella hesitated, and searched for the words that were trying to climb out her throat. "I t_-thought_ I was already _i-in_ The Guard officially. I was apart of the last group…we all made it…" Bella trailed when he smiled out of the corner of his mouth, and shook his head at her.

"You may have been in The Guard, but you weren't informed on what The Guard is about…but now you will be."

Bella leaned back in her seat. "Oh."

Aro laughed. "I have always liked you, young Bella. And when you made it through the long and treacherous selecting process for the best of all vampires, I was happy to hear you were in the final group."

"I'm happy too," Bella tried to smile, but her eyes gave her away to Aro. The truth was, she wasn't even sure what happiness was. She couldn't remember the last time she felt good about herself, and had actually felt her existence was worth it.

"I don't believe you." Aro stepped closer to Bella, who had slumped lower into her seat, and spoke clearly. "I must admit, this place isn't paradise, like you may have thought it was going to be when you first arrived…but it _will be_ when we finish forming _the Guard_."

Bella nodded. "I guess."

Aro chuckled lightly. "Well that's why I'm here. I am here to let you finally know why you were brought here. Bella, do you remember someone telling you that some day you may be apart of something bigger?"

Bella nodded. She remembered that day perfectly. It was the start of her life here.

"And you know why we despise the human existence…?"

Bella nodded. "Yes. We are forced into hiding because they can't handle the truth, and would try and take us out with military force if they knew what we are capable of." She felt like she was reading this from a book…or speaking someone else's words. In a way, she technically was.

"You were taught well."

Bella felt sick all the sudden. She didn't like where this was going.

"Bella, have you ever heard of the date 12.21.12?"

Her mind blanked. She hadn't. "No."

"It's the beginning of the end…also known as an Apocalypse."

"The beginning of the end…" She didn't like that. She didn't like knowing all her hard work was just going to be blown to pieces by an Apocalypse; something unavoidable.

"I have foreseen some humans surviving this date, vampires as well, and forming something called a resistance."

Now she was confused. "A resistance to what?"

"Us. _The Volturi Guard_ to be exact."

Bella didn't understand. "Why us? If it's the end of the world, wouldn't we all want to be on the same team—" he cut her off.

"Of course not. Vampires and humans are enemies. It's unnatural for them to co-exist. Only one can come out on top."

"Why's that?" Bella's voice was monotone. She felt like he was so wrong, but she would never raise her voice, or show emotion to Aro. She sometimes felt frightened of him.

"Bella…are you hearing a word I'm saying?"

She wasn't sure if she was supposed to answer that or not.

"_The Guard_ is what you are now apart of. The goal is to survive the Apocalypse, and then defeat _The Resistance_. We want to take over when the Apocalypse occurs; catch civilization at it's weak point. All we have standing in front of us is The Resistance, which should easily crumble if we train hard."

Bella stared at the floor. What he was telling her didn't feel right. How could she survive if he wanted her to fight? She wasn't ready for something like that, and it wasn't necessary.

She didn't tell him that though. She continued to stare into space, desperately trying to mask any worry coming across on her face.

"The Resistance is a group of traitors to their own kind. They believe in equality amongst vampires, humans, and hybrids alike…and that's just _sick_."

Something occurred to Bella. She had to ask it. "So vampires and Hybrids are not equal. Is that what you're saying?"

"There is no need to feel threatened by us. We were the ones who took in _your kind_. We gave you a chance, and you have proven worthy—even with having human blood in your veins we still believe that you will be useful in the future."

Bella took that as a _no_. She was just as worthless as a human in his eyes, and that made her feel inadequate, pathetic, and stupid for not staying in Alaska all those years ago.

"Do you understand what I'm saying Bella?" His voice innocent and Bella despised that about him. He was so non-threatening at the moment, but deep down, she knew how threatening he could be. It always confused her on what she truly felt towards him.

"I understand what you're saying," she spoke lowly, and couldn't look the vampire in the eye.

"And do you agree with it?"

"I will in time," she hoped, although she felt she would never see that day.

"Of course. It's a lot to take in right now." Aro turned his back to the confused hybrid, but just before leaving the room, he looked over his shoulder at her. "Just so we're clear…this information is to be kept within the organization, like everything you have ever learnt. Not that you don't know that already."

Bella nodded. "Yeah. Of course." She felt like a zombie.

Aro smiled. "Don't worry. It will get clearer when you learn more. Just let this sink in."

Bella didn't respond. Instead, she stayed still, and watched him leave the room.

Her mind was all over the place.

_The Resistance_. Bella didn't like that word. It meant her team was something that needed blocking, and destroying. But then again, _The Guard _didn't ever sound to appealing to her either.

Bella suddenly felt like the walls were closing in around her, and that she had no options but the one that was set in front of her, already mapped out for her.

She felt helpless…and that was the worst feeling of all.

_No_. Regret was the worst feeling of all, and it was currently eating at her insides, and making her stomach feel sick.

What did she regret? Everything; starting from the day she took that damn vampires hand, and entered into this dark world.

What had she gotten herself into?

_**Present**_

At first, Victoria was completely oblivious to Bella when she opened the gas station door, and started to make her way back to the Volvo.

But then there was that shift in the wind; one that led Bella's floral, most recognizable scent straight to Victoria's nostrils.

Victoria snapped her head up in response, and glared across the parking lot at the hybrid walking nonchalantly across it.

It wasn't long before the hybrid felt something was off as well, and just as she turned to look over her shoulder, she saw the most recognizable red hair and a glare that could literally throw daggers.

Bella stopped in place and stared at the vampire. She knew she had seen her before, but she couldn't remember where. She took a hesitant few steps towards the vampire with red eyes, and watched as she did the same.

Victoria spoke first. "Bella Swan," she was accusing her of doing something wrong just by the look on her eyes. "You're insane to still be in Arizona."

_Her voice. _Bella had heard it a million times before. She knew her. She was 100 percent sure now. She had to test the waters. "Why would that be insane?"

Victoria cocked an eyebrow at her, but then a realization struck her hard in the face. The hybrid standing in front of her had somehow lost her memory. That was easy though; Victoria was pro at returning it for her. All it took were a few key words, and boom; a new reality all cleared up.

"It's insane because _The Guard_ is looking for you." Victoria crossed her arms and watched as her friend's eyes seemed to look off into the distance.

That only meant one thing; her reality was all coming back to her.

-x-

Edward was holding himself back from ripping himself out of the car, and stopping whatever confrontation that was about to happen.

He had this instinct to protect _her. _And he didn't like that feeling.

Instead, he watched, and waited for either the vampire or the hybrid to speak.

"_Bella Swan_," the vampire spoke first, "_You're insane to still be in Arizona_."

Edward stopped breathing at the realization that this vampire knew _his_ hybrid—no, his family's hybrid, he meant.

"Why would that be insane?" Bella's voice sounded confused to him, and he could tell she had no idea who the vampire in front of her was.

That's why in two seconds Edward was ready to jump out and separate the two.

But then the vampire spoke again. "It's insane because _The Guard_ is looking for you."

Edward snapped his gaze over to the hybrid's, and watched as she took in what the vampire had just told her.

Edward froze.

The look on the hybrid's face had changed, because the moment the words left the vampire's lips, her world was returned to her.

And that meant Edward's job was about to get that much more difficult.

Bella stared into space as memories of her entire existence with the Volturi Guard resurfaced. Images of fighting, being yelled at, and being bitten flew across her mind, and it was a surprise to her that she didn't fall over and die from the impact of it all.

But that was impossible, because Bella, _a member of The Guard_, kept her emotions in check, and lived her life like a rock.

Hard, solid, and dependable; it felt good to have her life back, and know what she was about.

And at the same time, not so good.

"Shit!" Bella's eyes flashed to Victoria's after reliving her Volturi experience, and remembering why being in Arizona still wasn't the best idea.

She was on the run…from the organization that she had given her soul over to. Being in Arizona was too close to her last mission…

Bella cringed just thinking about how badly it had gone, and all the lives she had taken with the fire.

"Get out of here you idiot!" Victoria stepped forward in one motion, and pushed Bella towards the car, but instead of running back to the car, Bella lost her footing, and fell to the ground.

That's where Edward stepped in.

"_What was that_!" He was out of his car the moment Bella's body hit the ground, and obviously took Victoria's actions the wrong way. "Get the hell away from her!" He shoved Victoria the way she had done to Bella, but Victoria wasn't as fragile as Bella, and kept her footing.

Victoria remained calm. "I know you think you're helping her right now, but you're not. You need to get her into that fast car of yours, and get the fuck out of here_. Like yesterday._"

Edward clenched his fists at his sides, and stared into her eyes. That's about the same time when he read her mind, and saw that she was being dead serious.

"Come on." Bella was now off the ground, and yanking on Edward's arm. She knew she needed to get as much distance put between her and her old Volturi group, and using Edward was the only way at the moment.

There wasn't time to explain.

Edward fell victim to her hand on his arm, and let her pull him away from the vampire he was trying to read.

But Edward wasn't the victim of the situation at the moment.

Bella owned that spot. She hadn't realized how good she had it not knowing who she was, and what she had done. And the moment everything was returned to her, the guilt and regret were prominent.

She remembered everything about living her life in Italy…but mostly the bad stuff…like why she had thrown herself in front of that propane truck, which was the same night she met Edward.

But now wasn't the time for her pity party. For now she had made the decision to run, and that's what she needed to do.

_**Utah, 6am**_

Edward watched Bella out of the corner of is eye as he drove down the freeway, along the farm lands of Utah.

Bella and Edward had been going at it for hours, yelling back and forth about right and wrong, truth and lies, and who was the real enemy. Neither were getting anywhere, and the whole argument was absolutely absurd. But Bella was slightly grateful for it because it kept her mind off seeing her friend again.

She had fallen asleep an hour ago, and to his dismay, he enjoyed watching the rise and fall of her chest, and enjoyed breathing in her scent , which he was surprisingly getting used to.

And it was while staring at Bella's face, and taking in her intoxicating scent, that her eyes flashed open, and Edward nearly took the car off the road from locking his gaze with her dark orbs.

"Jesus Christ," he swore, reacting quickly to nearly taking his precious Volvo off into the shoulder of the highway.

Bella didn't say anything though. She pressed herself harder into the side of the door, and turned her gaze onto the darkness of the road outside the window. She found solace in watching the sun come up behind a barn a mile away, lighting up the darkness of the twilight sky.

Edward shifted in his seat, preparing to pick up with the argument he had had with the hybrid before she had fallen asleep. He didn't know where to begin it though. Edward had already covered all the bases; what had happened back at the gas station, what The Guard was, and how much she remembered of her past.

Bella answered all his questions in the topics with the same answer; there wasn't one. She simply yelled at him for being an insensitive prick, and averted her gaze out the window until he got tired of yelling, and she got tired enough to fall asleep.

There was an explanation for avoiding his questions and there was a reason she felt even more uncomfortable around him now that she knew who she was.

Being a member of The Guard meant sealed lips, and not trusting anyone. Edward was an outsider to her, and that meant she couldn't let him get close to her, and find out about her past.

Secrecy was key; at least until she made sure she was officially not returning to The Guard…because honestly, she was still on the fence about her decision to run. The Guard was the only life she knew, and if returning to a family she couldn't quite remember didn't do anything for her, she'd probably have to return to her group…and face the consequences for temporarily straying.

And then there was Victoria. Bella couldn't imagine a life without her trustful and dependable ally and friend at her side.

Bella had a lot to think about, and a long car ride to Forks, Washington was what she needed in order to clear her mind. But clearing her mind was nearly impossible with a vampire that she didn't trust only a foot away from her.

"We can pull over since it's late—"

"You're a vampire, you don't need to rest," Bella responded quickly.

"Is that the only reason you don't want to stop, or is what the gas station vampire said to you making you feel skittish?"

He was right, but Bella obviously was trying to avoid anything to do with _that_ topic right now. "I don't know what you're talking about. You're being ridiculous—"

"Oh really? You underestimate me Bella. Did you forget that I'm a vampire with good ears, and could possibly have heard her tell you that _The Guard_ is looking for you?"

Bella kept her gaze out the dark window. She didn't have any thing smart to say back. He was right, and instead of opening up to him about the hell she has been through, she chose to ignore it, and continue to pretend it didn't matter to her.

Edward couldn't though. He knew she worked with the Volturi, and he wanted to know everything about what had happened to her, and why she was keeping to herself.

"Bella you can trust me—"

"_Will you shut the fuck up!_?" Bella finally averted her gaze from the window, and turned to stare into his blackened eyes. She tried to find words. "I'm so sick of hearing that. So I can trust you, but apparently, you don't trust me enough to stop interrogating me!" Bella's heart was racing in her chest. And it wasn't from the argument. Edward had that affect on her.

Edward was losing his battle as well. He couldn't even remember what he was arguing about. The moment he locked eyes with Bella's, he felt this warmth come over him, and his breathing became ragged.

But then it was all lost the moment Bella opened her mouth.

"_Watch out_!" she screamed, pointing to a figure standing in the middle of the deserted highway.

Edward snapped his gaze to the road, and slammed his breaks when a human figure, not even twenty feet away, had suddenly popped out of nowhere.

The tires screeched, Edward swore, and Bella's breath caught in her throat from the impact of Edward's arm reaching across her body, and crushing her into the seat to prevent her from flying through the windshield. Maybe next time she'd wear a seat belt.

The car finally came to an abrupt halt, and the silence of the early morning came over them…along with the car's head lights stretching out onto the highway…which was now deserted.

"What the?" Edward peered into the darkness of the morning, unsure if his eyes were playing tricks on him or not. But sure enough, only an empty highway, and sun coming up over the horizon, covered the road.

"There was a person…" Bella had seen the figure before they screeched to a stop, but no, it had vanished into thin air. She felt uneasy, and panic set in. "We should get going," she whispered, trying to cover her fear.

Edward felt like she was being ridiculous, so he laughed at her. "You're frightened, aren't you? It was just a stupid human hitch hiking. Some brave Volturi Hybrid you are—" he didn't have time to finish.

Outside, three vampires had circled the car, plotting there way in. They were on a mission, and there target was in the Volvo. Without warning, Bella and Edward's car doors were thrown open simultaneously, and before Edward could throw the car into drive, he and Bella were both ripped from the Volvo.

"_Bella_—" Edward growled, reaching for Bella's grasp before she was completely removed from the car, but his finger tips only grazed her own, which were reaching desperately for him as well.

Bella didn't recognize the two vampires that were restraining Edward on the side of the road, but she sure as hell recognized the vampire that had her in a vice grip against his chest.

And that frightened her.

"I'm not going back—" Bella tried to wriggle free from Demetri's grasp, but he quickly covered the hybrids mouth, carried her away from the car, and into the corn field beside the highway.

Rage boiled over Edward's chest as he watched Bella's flailing body be yanked into the corn field away from him. He had never felt so useless in his life; he had failed at protecting Bella, and that made him feel this strange pain in his chest that he had never felt before.

Edward growled again, and tried to fight the two impossibly strong vampires off of him. But it was pointless; they had the strength, and Edward was pinned.

He had to watch Bella be taken away from him…and that's when the feeling of angst took over.

-x-

"Demetri! Put me down!" Bella screamed helplessly as she trashed under his hold. But the vampire continued to run through the corn field with Bella in his arms, putting enough distance between her and that other unidentifiable vampire.

He needed to be able to talk to her freely without any outside influences.

After a minute of running, Demetri stopped abruptly and threw Bella on the ground, crushing many corn stalks in the works.

"Demetri, I can explain—"

Demetri's open hand slapped the side of Bella's face, snapping back her head, and leaving a burning sensation on Bella's cheek.

Bella hissed lowly, but didn't open her mouth to speak. She could see the vampire in front of her was livid; his eyes, the darkest red, showed that.

"That was for the long hours of following you. Imagine our surprise when we picked Victoria up, learnt you weren't around, and happened to come across your scent. Luck was on our side, that's what. Unlucky for you though."

Bella wanted to pick herself up off the dirt, and run away, but she was too numb from the fear of what he would do to her if she even tried.

"Bella, where the hell have you been?" His voice sounded calm enough, but she could see the veins in his neck ready to burst with rage. He was restraining himself for now, and if she wasn't careful with her words, she would be getting another hit to the face.

"I was in an accident, and I lost my memory—" he cut her off.

"_Before that!_ Why did you ditch Victoria and James at the facility after the fire?" He clenched his jaw after the question, waiting for her answer.

"I chickened out. I was overwhelmed with what I had done, and I had to get out—" Bella lost her words when another blow came to her face, but this time it wasn't an opened handed slap.

Bella fell onto her elbows, and felt the redness inflaming on her other cheek. She wasn't sure how much more she could take until the real pain would set in.

"Demetri please listen to me. I'm still on your side!"

"You're not making sense Bella! You obviously have your memory back, and if that's true, why the hell are you on a cross country road trip with an outsider?" he growled the last part, and Bella regretted even trying to defend herself. No matter what she said, she'd sound like a bloody idiot.

"I know it's bad…But the night I lost my memory, he found me…He's from my past, and if I don't go with him, he'll know something is up."

"What?"

"Yes. He's from my old coven. And he doesn't know that I'm in the Volturi. Let me visit with him and my old family, show them I'm not up to anything, and then I'll get out of there quickly."

"You're story is pathetic—"

"Well it's the truth!" she half lied.

"So I should just let you go with him? That's it? And what do I tell your group, and the rest of The Guard? That you're off retying old relationships? How dumb does that sound? I promised Aro we could trust you on this mission, and what do you do? Run off the first chance you get!"

"I know. It was stupid, and I will be back with The Guard in no time. Just let me go back to Forks, and I'll straighten things out there."

"Forks?" He gave her a dirty look, and Bella shrunk lower into the dirt.

She nodded. "Yes. It's where my coven that I was taken from years ago now lives. If I go back, show them I'm fine, and then I can safely come back to The Guard. That boy I'm with right now is apart of the coven, and if he comes back without me, I guarantee you my clan leader will search and search for me—"

"Enough!" Demetri hissed, turning his back to Bella. He was now confused, and couldn't make up his mind on whether not Bella was lying. "Why should I believe you?"

"Because it's me! I'm still the same hybrid you've known since my arrival in Italy. I don't have a reason to lie to you. Volterra is my home…I don't know any other life." Bella was yelling at herself on the inside. It felt horrible to say those things, and for once, she was seeing things clearly. She knew she couldn't go back there, and she would tell any lie to get out of it.

Demetri sighed. "I know Bella. I do trust you," and he did now, "but you know the rules…and if you don't come back on your own, we still have to hunt you down."

"I will come back. Just not today. Let me come back on my own time, I'll deal with the consequences then. It's not like you're not going to know where I am. I'll be in Washington, and if Aro has a problem with this, he can track me down then."

Demetri shook his head. "This is crazy—"

"I know, but I can't let him or my other family find out about The Guard. If they do, they'll start digging, and find out about everything else." Bella was doing a good job of convincing Demetri to let her go. She knew if she made it seem like her intentions were for The Guard, he'd let her slip away.

And he did.

"Fine, but Bella…If I have to send out a search team for you, i'll be the one leading it, and this time you'll not only lose your memory forever, but also your life."

"Don't do me any favours…" she said lowly, but Demetri caught it.

"I'm serious!" he took a step forward, and Bella stood up, and put up her palms as if she was surrendering.

"I know. Ok. Deal. I will be back. Just give me some time."

Demetri nodded. "Just remember what we're capable of, Bella. And know this; we have the best vampires in the world on our side, and I'm sure one of them would be very upset to find out about your departure…"

Bella felt sick. She knew what one he was talking about.

"Anyway, I'll be off now. But just remember…we'll be watching you."

Bella gulped, and watched him disappear from the corn field while his words rang in her ears.

Nothing he told her was very reassuring.

-x-

Without warning, the vampires that were holding Edward down suddenly lifted off of him, and ran off into the corn field; the opposite direction Bella had been dragged.

Edward didn't follow them. He had one trail under his nose that he would follow to the end of time, and it was the Hybrids that he had failed to protect. Now hopefully he could get to her in time before something terrible happened to her…

Edward shook his head, and held in a growl that was erupting from his core from the thought of losing her to them.

And with that, Edward realized it wasn't because his family would be upset with him for losing her, but it was because he himself couldn't bare it…and he had no idea why.

It was muggy in the corn field. The morning dew was beginning to be lit up from the fresh sunlight coming through the stalks of corn, but the vastness of the field was still dark enough for Bella to get lost in it; which she did.

Bella stumbled her way through the corn without any inclination of which direction the road was. All she had were her instincts that told her to keep moving, and to put one foot in front of the other with a quickened pace.

Maybe that was because she was scared of Demetri changing his mind, and returning for her with even more members of the Volturi.

Bella shoved her way through the corn stalks, and didn't care that she was damaging some poor farmers stock. She needed to get back to the road, and find Edward before he decided to ditch her, and head for Washington alone.

But that wasn't going to happen. Edward was dead set on finding Bella in the corn field, and was following her sweet scent at vampire speed.

Edward was urging himself to go faster, not liking the other trails of vampire scent mixed with Bella's. It made him feel sick to know that Bella had this past that included such vampires. He needed to get to her, and see she was ok, and to hold her…

Bella was no longer thinking clearly. She was like a rat in a maze, panicking as she circled around the field with more and more corn around her. She felt dizzy from it all, and her eyes were wide with fear from not being able to get away quick enough-

Bella gasped when she heard the rustling of corn about thirty meters away from her. She couldn't see who was approaching, but she sure as hell had this gut feeling to run as fast as she could; so she did.

But it was like one of those dreams where the bad guy keeps nipping at your ankles, and your feet feel like they're running through mud. No matter how much you wanted to get away, and no matter how hard you pumped your legs, the speed and agility never comes.

After thirty seconds of not running fast enough, the unknown struck her; quite literally too.

Bella felt her body collide with another solid vampire's, and before she could catch her fall, this vampire caught her under his hold, and pinned her beneath his solid frame.

She had no where to go. The dirt ground was under her back, and a vampire's chest was on top of hers.

"Edward," Bella gasped, panting from the adrenaline rushing through her. But she couldn't catch her breath. She had no idea why he was chasing her, and tackling her to the ground…but she didn't exactly care at the moment. All logic and matter were lost to her when he trailed his hands down her arms, and made her feel light headed.

Edward's body was shaking from being so close to Bella's. It felt unbelievable to have her clutched to him where no one could get to her, and where she could never leave him. Edward hadn't even realized he was trailing his hands down her arms, taking in her sizzling skin, and enjoying the rush of shocks running throughout his body.

And that's when he made eye contact with the hybrid beneath him. Her eyes were mesmerizing, and drew him closer, and before he could stop himself, his animalistic side took control of his lips, and planted them greedily on Bella's.

-x-

**Recap:**

The mission that went wrong is one that Bella, Victoria, and James did. They broke into a facility (for whatever reasons…) and humans saw them using their vampire strength/speed, so James decided to torch the place with the humans still in it.

That's why Bella ditched him and Victoria; she finally snapped, and that was the night she chucked herself in front of the 18 wheeler propane truck that "killed her", and made her lose her memory. (We yet to know why exactly she chucked herself in front of the propane truck.)

Victoria is not like what you're used to. Yes, she drinks human blood (red eyes), but that's what all vampires in the Volturi do. She isn't proud of that, but then again, it doesn't bother her. Also, she met Bella after surviving through the stages of the selecting process for the Volturi, and they became friends really quick after outlasting it all.

James is still around in the story. He is not Victoria's mate. They do not get along.

12.21.12 is the title of the story, and also a real date that marks the Apocalypse, which also marks "the beginning of the end". It varies on the detail, but I'll be making it up form there.

The Volturi are using this date to finally wipe humans off the planet, and come out on top, but a group called Te Resistance is also forming to prevent this, which is made up of both humans and vampires.

The whole reason Bella was taken to Volterra was to be apart of this army called The Guard, and work towards taking out this other organization in the future. Right now is all preparation for it.

Bella remembers everything about her past with the Volturi, but has yet to have her memories triggered for her old family, the Cullen's. She still can't quite remember them.

Bella also is questioning leaving the Volturi. If she runs from them, they will do anything to track her down, and she feels it is pointless to try and run considering the Volturi is the only life she knows. But then again, she figures out that she can't go back to that life. She tried it out, and it's so terrible, and depressing that anything would be better.

**A/N:** I have no idea what scenery for Utah looks like, so if having farmland is unheard of, I'm sorry, just pretend. It's fanfiction for Christ sake…

And thank you for the reviews for the last chapter. I was pleased with those of you that reviewed, and special thanks goes out to the select few who are regulars with the review button. You're awesome.

**Song: Good Riddance by Green Day**


	8. Is Anybody Home?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse, and I definitely don't own Breaking Dawn. Stephenie Meyer's name is all over that one…haha.

**Chapter 8: Is Anybody Home?**

_Hey, is anybody home?_

_Has anybody wasted tears on_

_the loneliness that everyone becomes?_

_-Our Lady Peace_

-x-

"You're letting her go?"

Demetri shook his head at the two vampires, whose names he didn't have time remembering. They were just tag alongs; there for backup in case Demetri was ever cornered by other power hungry vampires.

"No, not that it's any of your business," he said, glaring at the stupid vampire who had opened his mouth, falsely accusing him of breaking Volturi law. "You'd watch that mouth of yours if you knew what was good for you."

The vampire that had spoken stood tall, and shrugged; something completely out of line considering a high ranks Guard member was the reciprocate.

Demetri took a step forward, and tilted his head to the side, keeping complete focus on the out of line vampire. "Do you like your job?"

The out of line vampire lost his backbone. He switched his game, and answered with the intent of not wanting to set Demetri off. "Yes."

Demetri switched his gaze to the other vampire standing off to the side, completely unaware that he was doing something wrong by not standing with attention. "And you?"

The other vampire snapped his gaze to Demetri's, and immediately corrected his stance to a straighter one. "I like my job."

Demetri crossed his arms and took a step away from the pair, and focused his glare so that it included both of them. "This day didn't happen, as far as I'm concerned."

The vampires nodded, not even realizing what they were agreeing too.

"No one needs to know about this. It is not wise to speak about this to another soul. If other members find out about Bella's situation, don't you think they'd want to get the 'go ahead' to go on vacation as well?"

The vampires both nodded, but never opened their mouths.

"Exactly. You know I'm right." Demetri uncrossed his arms, and exhaled. "As for Aro…I'll let him know. For whatever reason he has a soft spot for that damn hybrid… he'll understand though. Aro doesn't want this situation getting out of hand, and he'd make sure Bella pays for leaving when she returns."

The vampires nodded once more, and with that, Demetri was satisfied.

-x-

Bella saw the look in Edward's eyes the moment they found hers, and before she knew what was happening, his lips came crashing down on hers. This was a total invasion of her space, and that's why Bella told herself she needed to get him off of her.

But she couldn't. Not because he was so much stronger than her either.

The moment Bella's lips met his, she couldn't remember feeling frightened of this vampire, or having a reason to get away from him.

There was a warm feeling coming over her, and her heart felt like it had cracked in half, seeping with ecstasy. But the best part was the tingling sensations covering every inch of Bella's skin—especially her lips, which were kissing him back even harder every time he tried to pull away to get a better angle.

Edward wasn't exactly having a horrible time either.

He had forgotten this was a hybrid with human blood running through her veins; an enemy of his since he could remember being turned. It didn't matter. Ever since he had laid eyes on Bella that very first night, he felt this pull towards her, and tonight he was letting go of the tug, and falling victim to his lust for her.

Yet he didn't feel like a victim; far from it in fact. He had never felt so much heat radiating in his own body, not to mention the heat coming off hers. He wanted to soak in it, breathe it in, and breathe _her_ in.

Edward couldn't think of a day before Bella. The moment his lips caught hers, he had fallen hard for her; whether he knew this or not was still to be discovered.

"Edward," Bella whispered in between trying to catch her breath and pull away from his lips.

As much as Edward loved hearing his name come from her lips, he ignored her, and continued trailing his lips along her neck, and wrapping his arms tight around her waist to keep her tightly under him.

Bella had snapped out of it though when his lips left hers, and that was the several seconds she needed to come back to reality where vampires and hybrids weren't supposed to act like this towards each other.

Edward felt her become rigid beneath him, and before she could voice her discomfort, he felt it too. He quickly jumped off of her, and put several meters of space between them. He felt weird; like somebody had emptied out his body, and filled it with air. He was lighter somehow, and his lungs were taking in as much air as they could.

"Jeez you and your little games." Edward was trying to play off what had just happened between them as Bella scheming. But he didn't truly believe that; he just didn't like the awkward feeling of having to admit that he might actually have liked being so close to her.

Bella was livid. "Are you kidding me? You started it!"

"Well you certainly ended it," Edward snapped back, keeping his eye contact away from the hybrid he most definitely wanted to stare at forever and ever and ever and ever…

Bella couldn't keep her eyes off the confused looking vampire standing in front of her, completely oblivious to her gaze on him. She watched as he gripped his hair with his fingers, and burned a hole through the corn with his angry glare. And his chest looked like it was ready to burst; it was moving up and down so hard, he looked practically human.

Bella's chest was rising and falling just the same. She had finally caught her breath, but while she watched Edward, she couldn't help but want to go back to the way they were two seconds ago.

Especially when Edward's eye's finally landed on hers again…

Bella was on her feet in half a second, and even before she could run into Edward's arms, he had closed the distance, and collided with her again. His hands traveled her body while Bella's hands gripped his thick hair between her fingers.

The two were tangled in each others bodies, and it was like they couldn't get close enough. Edward tightened his arms around Bella's waist, and Bella was practically climbing Edward while their lips were locked, and still, they weren't satisfied with their closeness.

That's when Edward without even realizing it, snaked his hand under Bella's ripped shirt, and ever so carefully grazed his fingertips along the skin beneath the hemline.

Bella gasped, and that gasp alone ripped the two from their own minds, and brought them back to reality. Edward dropped his hold on Bella instantly, and Bella stepped two steps away from him

Neither could explain what had just happened between them, and neither were about to try.

"This didn't happen," Edward finally spoke, taking in a breath of air to try and remember why he wouldn't want it to.

Bella agreed quickly. "Don't have to tell me twice." She awkwardly looked at the ground, and waited for him to say something further.

He didn't. Instead, he headed back to the car, and for whatever reason, Bella chose to follow.

-x-

After taking a shower, Rosalie peered at herself in the bathroom mirror, and tried to find something she liked about the figure staring back at her.

She came up with the same conclusion she always did; nothing.

To her, she saw a distorted girl in the mirror, and couldn't find the beautiful girl the world saw. No matter how many times people told her of her beauty, she couldn't help but find her flaws; and the list was long.

Her hair wasn't right. She believed it was too blonde, and too wispy, which gave her an unnatural look.

Then there were her cheek bones, which were too prominent, and chalky, creating this permanent scowl on her face. She wanted nothing more than a subtle, fleshy face, with a hint of rose blush.

To look friendly and approachable, instead of intimidating every person in the room, would be her biggest wish of all.

Rosalie leaned in closer and stared into her eyes; the worst part of her face. Some days they were a sparkly, dark gold, but today, they were black like midnight; which happened to be the time of day outside the window.

Rosalie always took showers at night. She hated looking at herself in the sunlight coming through the bathroom windows, which further accented her disgusting body and face.

She liked the dark. It mildly covered her features, and allowed her to look in the mirror and not want to smash it through the wall- like she had in the past.

The past…something she also hated thinking about. Mostly because it contained a certain someone who had changed her life the moment she met her…

Rosalie gripped the sink from the memory of the small hybrid she once knew. Memories of running a comb through her long hair, and admiring the pure brown color came back to Rosalie, and instead of being upset like she normally was when she thought of the lost hybrid, she felt happy inside.

Bella was coming home, and for once, Rosalie's spirits were hopeful. She remembered a time in her life when she was carefree and loved every minute of being with the hybrid child. Bella had brought Rosalie's happiness out in her, and the moment she disappeared, she took it with her.

Rosalie sighed and wrapped the towel tighter around her abdomen to be sure it didn't accidentally slip off. Bella was arriving, and she needed to get changed; both figuratively and literally.

Because Rosalie didn't know, Bella was now in Forks, and it was only a matter of time before the past was made present.

But was that a good thing?

-x-

After arguing over what happened with the other vampires at the corn field, and then having Bella not willing to voice anything about it, Edward had finally crossed paths with the infamous 'The City of Forks Welcomes You' sign.

Edward let out a gush of air when his Volvo jetted past the sign's withered and torn up appearance, and he couldn't help but compare it to Bella. Like her, it looked like it had stood through some difficult storms.

Beside him, Bella was fidgeting in her seat, uncomfortable with the moon light shining into the car, giving light to the tattoo on her wrist. She couldn't make it anymore obvious unless she circled it with highlighter, and labelled it with a sticker that said 'biggest mistake of your life'.

Edward had noticed it several times as well. It was hard not to. The clear black numbers jumped out against her pure white skin, and since she wasn't wearing long sleeves, it was hard to hide.

But of course, Edward hadn't brought up the 'tattoo discussion' since the last time he had mentioned it- which resulted in dislocating Bella's shoulder, and him walking out on her.

Edward didn't like thinking about it.

After a few more minutes of circling around random streets, and passing by trees that had over a million twins, Edward finally found the old private drive to his and hopefully not Bella's new home. He was uncomfortable being so close to the hybrid, especially since the incident in the corn field…which he couldn't help thinking about every time he looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

That's why he was so cranky; Bella was something he wanted to be near so badly, but at the same time, had to get away from because of the fact he was a vampire, and she wasn't.

Bella felt the same exact way, but she was too busy taking in her surroundings to notice Edward, and the fact that he had already gotten out of the car, and was waiting for her to do the same.

The house Bella was staring at as she slowly exited the Volvo was simple, yet not at all. The white was typical, but the extremely large windows were not. The plain wrap around veranda was homey, but the several balconies popping out of every corner definitely weren't.

It was a mansion, and Bella had literally never seen anything like it. It made her feel out of place, and uncomfortable; she already didn't belong.

"Come on." Edward was impatient, and pointed towards the door. "They're waiting."

Bella was hesitant. She didn't like her foreign surrounds, and not knowing the layout of the house she was about to enter made her nervous.

"Want me to hold your hand?" Edward said this in a child's voice, grinning his glorious smile after. He was enjoying teasing her.

Bella wasn't. She had actually considered saying yes; he seemed to be on her side sometimes, and could probably protect her from the vampires behind the door.

Edward stopped smiling when he saw Bella's worried eyes and her hunched shoulders. Her fierceness and confidence from earlier on today had completely disappeared, and in it's place was insecurity, and weariness.

Edward felt he had to reassure her safety. "You know they're not like the vampires you're probably used to being around." He angled his body so that he had turned towards her, and Bella adjusted hers accordingly. Edward noticed this and was taken back by how serious this situation must have been for Bella.

He then felt like an ass hole.

"Bella you don't have to trust them right now, but you can trust me." He wanted her to trust him, and he hated looking at her scared body posture. "You'll be fine. I think you're forgetting this used to be your family too." Edward hadn't even realized he was saying this to her. It was just coming out of him, and he needed her to feel safe. "Just don't be so nervous."

Bella was grateful for everything he was saying to her. She felt reassured, and protected…until he told her not to be so nervous…and that pissed her off. For him to see her as a weak, scared hybrid made her angry.

"What's with the look?" Edward cocked his eyebrow at her guarded, yet murderous scowl. He didn't understand where it came from all the sudden. Bella looked like the hybrid from earlier that day, and now he regretted even trying to make her feel at home. "Fine, you be like that. I hope they eat you alive." Edward turned his back to her and jogged up onto the veranda, and didn't even pause when he opened and shut the door in one fluent movement.

Bella stared into the darkness when he left her standing alone on the driveway. She was unsure what to do next. To go in, or not to go in, that was the question.

She was being silly though. This was a family that had cared for her a lifetime ago…her memory of them was just swiped clean, that's all. That's why she chose to suck up her fear, and walk up the steps…but when she hesitantly neared the door, she chickened out, and stopped in her place.

She realized she couldn't do it. It was all a big mistake.

Bella rolled her eyes at how foolish she had been to leave the Volturi, and without thinking about her actions, she turned her back, and jumped off the veranda in one quick movement.

-x-

Edward reuniting with his family was awkward. It was too weird seeing their hesitant smiles, and open arms to welcome him back. It was like they had forgotten he had left under not so good circumstances so many years ago.

"It's so good to see you Edward!" Esme couldn't keep still. She grabbed her son, and hugged him tightly before he could run away to the kitchen where the rest of the family were watching and waiting for him.

"Where is she?" Alice's eyes were wide with excitement. Seeing Edward was great and all, but she couldn't hide her anticipation to see Bella. She had run from the kitchen and was demanding answers from Edward already.

Edward shrugged nonchalantly, walked past her, and entered the kitchen, where Emmett and Jasper were leaning on the island. Edward's brothers had taken his leaving hard, and didn't understand how he could do that to their family. They were still upset with him, and didn't feel bad for giving him the cold shoulder.

"Still sour are we?" Edward stared at his brothers guarded stances, and tried to ignore their minds, which were cursing him out in every way possible. "Good to see you too," he chuckled lowly, and took a spot next to Carlisle on a bar stool near the kitchen island.

Carlisle reached over and shook his son's hand. He was happy to see him, and was glad to notice that his mood was in an alright place. Last thing he wanted was for Edward to storm out before he even got settled in.

"Good to see you son." Carlisle gave him a sincere smile, but before Edward could even try and relax, Rosalie came into the picture, and Alice was back in front of his face too.

"Where is she?" Rosalie and Alice both spoke simultaneously, and were already fed up with Edward's casual entrance back into the house. They wanted answers fast.

"Relax, she's outside. She's a bit nervous—"

"I can feel the tension radiating off her from inside the house," Jasper spoke quickly, and didn't make eye contact with Edward. "She's more than nervous—she scared as hell Edward!" Jasper's outburst was random. He usually stayed calm, but with the nerves going on around him, he was picking up too many emotions to keep himself under control.

"Edward! How could you leave her out there in the dark, and all alone!" Esme's voice was mothering, yet still had a poking and prodding tone. She loved her son, but she couldn't understand how foolish he could act sometimes.

Edward covered his face and groaned into his hands. "Look, I got her here. She's on her way in, and then she's all yours."

Emmett laughed out of nowhere. "Are we talking about the same girl who's currently walking across the lawn, headed towards the woods?" He nodded over towards the window, where sure enough, Bella was doing just that. "Because it looks like she's definitely not staying around."

The family gasped, but Alice spoke first. "Oh my God, I'm going after her—"

"No you're not." Edward was off his stool in a second and in front of the door before Alice could take a single step. "She's afraid of you."

"Afraid of me?" Alice shrunk into herself, heart broken from the news that this girl who she loved so much didn't want to be around her.

"Not just you." Edward opened the door quickly and peered at the hybrid running towards the woods. "All of you. She doesn't trust vampires. Let me deal with her." Edward was out of the house before he could hear the response from his family. He was the only one who could get through to Bella.

Although he couldn't admit it to himself at the moment, he desperately wanted the hybrid in his life.

Bella was walking at a reasonable pace towards the woods. She couldn't handle knowing her past was inside the house, and she didn't want to remember her old life. To run away was the only answer for her.

She felt like she was doing a lot of running lately…

And Edward was doing a lot of chasing.

He was angry at Bella for being a coward, and turning her back on the family that she could have again. He had gone through so much trouble in getting her back to them, and what does she do? Run away.

"Bella!" he yelled to give her a warning, and to get her to slow down. But of course, she merely looked over her shoulder, and pumped her legs harder.

Edward swore in his head. He jumped down from the veranda, and before Bella could get off the lawn and into the woods, he was in front of her.

Bella skidded to a halt when Edward suddenly appeared ten paces ahead of her, standing there, arms crossed, ready for anything.

"Bella what are you doing?" He took a step closer, but stopped when he heard Bella's heart rate increase in speed, and her breathing became erratic. She was genuinely scared, and Edward hated that. "Ok, I'm sorry for scaring you just now. But you have to give this a try—"

"I changed my mind. I have to go back," Bella spoke quickly and low enough for only a vampire to hear. "I _c-can't s-stay here_." She hated the way her voice shook, but she couldn't help it. All the worse possible scenarios of what could happen if she stayed were playing through her mind, and that was only adding wood to the fire.

Edward watched the hybrid in front of him slowly start to fall apart. As much as she was trying to mask her pain and hold it together, he could tell she was unravelling by the seams.

And he felt sorry for her, and angry for her situation. He wanted to know why she felt so guarded around vampires she didn't know, and he wanted to show her that she didn't have to be.

Edward could have laughed at the way he was acting. He wanted to _help _someone…someone he ran away from so long ago.

"Please let me go…" Bella took a step to the left, angling her body so that she could run around him. But then Edward did the same, and was back in front of her. Bella's heart gave away the fear that was rippling through her veins.

"I'm not letting you go anywhere. Especially wherever this 'back' is that you speak of. It obviously didn't paint a pretty picture of outside vampires."

Bella stared into space, and slowed down her breathing.

He was right.

"I just have this feeling this isn't right." Bella was speaking the truth. Every inch of her body was telling her this wasn't the place for her, and that staying would only make it worse.

"Well I have this feeling it's better than wherever you came from." Edward looked at her through the darkness of the night, and tucked one hand in his pocket and the other he gestured towards the house. "After you." He stared at Bella for what seemed like an hour, but when she finally took a step, time came back to him, and he was able to move with her back to the house.

Neither one spoke, and Edward didn't dare get close to her. She was making the walk on her own, and Edward was grateful he didn't have to take her back by force.

Because God only knows, he was never going to let her get away without a fight again.

-x-

Bella stopped at the foot of the stairs and glanced around the entrance of the house.

It was massive. The staircase was large and never ending, the ceilings were high, and the wood floors were dark and uninviting.

But the funny thing was that this house wasn't uninviting in the least bit. It was open, and warm, and even though it was very dark outside, this house was nicely lit on the inside, hiding the shadows of any possible dark corners.

Edward was grateful his family had stayed in the kitchen while Bella made friends with her surroundings. He didn't want her to be set off…and he wanted to witness the fascination running across her face as she stared into space.

He could stare at her for hours…and that fact frightened him.

Then Bella noticed the kitchen…and noticed it wasn't empty. Edward cringed on the inside, ready to catch her in case she decided for the hundredth time to turn around and run.

But that's when Bella caught him off guard; she had been doing that a lot lately. Instead of backing away from the waiting vampires in the room, Bella took a small step forward and hesitantly stared at the vampires.

That's when memory lane came into view for Bella.

After a few moments of scanning the room, and coming across the same welcoming faces that did nothing but frighten her, Bella made eye contact with the drop dead gorgeous vampire, who wore a pretty ferocious glare.

Bella's eye's widened; not because she was frightened of her, but because she had seen that glare before. She remembered seeing it a hundred times before, in a past life where she was a little lost girl trying to find her voice—Bella then snapped her gaze over to Carlisle's, remembering _him_ being the one who brought her into this vampire world.

She remembered everything.

Like the time Carlisle grounded her for sneaking out her window, or the time Esme had mixed up the sugar with the salt, and her cookies tasted horrible, and Bella told her that, and she had never seen Esme laugh so hard. Or when Bella had jammed the bathroom door shut, and she couldn't get out, and Emmett simply punched his way through and saved her from what would have been a horrible day.

And then Bella remembered why she left…and why she took that vampires hand on that unforgettable day…

She remembered feeling inadequate around the Cullen's, and wanting to be apart of something bigger. That was one of the reasons she left Alaska in the first place…the other being her family never told her what she truly was.

And that was unforgivable.

"Bella." Alice was in awe over the young hybrid…except she wasn't young at all anymore. The softness she remembered and loved about her was gone, and replaced with fear and insecurity, and her confidence looked like it had taken a hit, judging by her hunched shoulders and wandering eyes.

Alice felt sick and scared for her. As happy she should have felt for learning she was alive, she also felt sorry for her. She was definitely no longer the hybrid she had known in the past.

"Bella," Alice tried to speak again, and Bella's gaze came over her. Alice was taken back by how much different she looked, but her eyes had stayed the same. Still the same dark, beautiful brown. "I can show you to your room if you like?"

"That can wait Alice." Edward came up beside Bella, and stared into her eyes. Edward stumbled over his next words; Bella was making him feel nervous all the sudden. "Do you remember everyone here?" His voice was low, yet surprisingly housed a bit of hope.

Bella let out a gush of air. She nodded.

Esme looked at Edward, confused by what was happening.

"_What's going on? Why wouldn't she remember us?" _Esme stared into Edward's eyes, but Edward shook his head at her. He would explain her situation later.

"Well, we can figure this all out later." Edward nodded over to Alice, who was begging him in her head to take Bella to her room.

"Come on Bella." Alice walked over to the stairs, and turned to see if the hybrid would follow her.

Bella sighed. She had no where else to go tonight. One night couldn't hurt, and then she could figure things out later, like Edward said.

She had no other option but to follow Alice.

Carlisle watched as Bella timidly followed Alice up the stairs, and when he was sure she was out of hearing distance, he started to address the issues at hand.

"Edward, start talking—"

"Why are you looking at me like that? I'm not the bad guy—"

"You haven't been treating her very nicely, obviously!" Rosalie's tone was harsh, and when Emmett tried to shush her, she got too worked up, and left the room. Emmett being the good boyfriend he was, chased after her to calm her down.

Edward rolled his eyes- which Esme caught.

"Edward stop being so childish and speak up—"

"I'm trying!" Edward gripped his hair and tried to concentrate on not ripping it out of his skull. He had been home for merely ten minutes, and already he was getting heat for things he didn't do. "I found her on my way here. She had no recollection of who she was, and what had happened to her."

Carlisle's eyes widened. "She has no memory of her past?"

Edward shook his head. "No, she does now. It just took awhile for her to recover it. I think she must have been in an accident, or something. But when her past becomes her reality…everything is returned to her."

Esme covered her mouth and her body began to shake. She hated thinking about what Bella could have been through.

Carlisle noticed his wife having difficulty with learning news about Bella. He then crossed the room, and put a hand on her shoulder to try and calm her.

"Well at least she's here now, that's all that matters. It's really a miracle that the Volturi kept her alive—that is where she's been this whole time I assume?" Carlisle eyed Edward, and Edward shrugged.

"We can only assume so. She isn't very open about her past yet; she's very careful about what she says. And on our way here, we ran into a few of her past _problems_."

Jasper was intrigued by this. "What does that mean?"

"Well," Edward sighed, gripping the back of his neck. "One of her friends, or that's what I believe she was, found her at a gas station, and told her _the Guard_ was out looking for her."

Esme gasped, and Carlisle wrapped his arm around her tighter.

"That's proof right there. It's the Volturi Guard. They're very specific on rules, and leaving their organization—I even had trouble leaving, and I never really agreed to anything." Carlisle was trying desperately to make sense of her situation, but it was way bigger than what he could imagine.

Edward nodded. "Yes well it gets worse. They found her after we were driving on the road for a couple hours, and three vampires ripped us from my car, and separated us—"

"Was she alright?" Esme's worry was through the roof, and Carlisle's grip on her, and Jasper trying to calm her were no longer working.

"I guess." Edward tucked his hands in his jean pockets. "One vampire just took her away for a few minutes, and that's all I know. I was held down by two others, and after they let me go, I went and found her. She was fine." Edward left out the part about having this severe attraction to her.

"Is that why she looks so torn up and ratty? And what's with the tattoo—"

"I have no idea!" Edward was getting frustrated with the questions he couldn't answer. "I found her like the way she is now, and I know just as much about her as you do."

Carlisle sighed and let go of his wife. "Well, it doesn't matter then. She's here, and we can learn more about her through time. We just need to be careful with her."

Edward nodded, even though he knew it was going to be much more difficult than Carlisle was putting it. Carlisle was painting this picture of 'alls well that ends well', and Edward definitely didn't believe that.

-x-

"It's on the third floor of the house. You'll get a bit of privacy that way." Alice watched Bella take in this piece of information, and smiled when she nodded. "And if you need anything, Edward is down the hall from you, and the rest of us are on the next floor down."

Bella was laughing on the inside. If there was another vampire on her floor, it wasn't privacy at all.

"Ok well, the bathroom is there," Alice pointed to a door on the opposite side of the hall, and then pointed to another door. "And this is your room. I got you some clothes, and the bathroom is full of everything you need."

Bella's eyes widened. She never had been taken care of like this, and that's why she laughed.

Alice cocked her eyebrow at her, and grinned. She was loving every minute of seeing the hybrid smile.

"I'm sorry." Bella tried to cover her grin. "I'm just not used to this. I mean look at me," Bella tugged in her tattered shirt, and when she did, her gaze caught the tattoo- and so did Alice's.

Alice couldn't help but open her mouth about it. "What's on your arm?"

Bella knew that question from anyone of the Cullen's was going to be unavoidable—especially nosy Alice, who wanted to know everything about anything.

"It's just a tattoo from where I used to live." Bella chose to speak the truth, but avoided what it was actually about. "It's nothing, really."

Alice nodded. "I see. Well, I'm sorry for—"

"It's ok, don't bother apologizing. It makes you look weak, and you're far from it."

Alice was dumbfounded. Bella sounded like a hardened criminal. Maybe she was…

"Bella…maybe it's too soon for this but I have to ask…where have you been?"

Bella didn't have a chance to answer.

"You're right Alice, it is too soon to ask that." Edward was suddenly in the hallway, leaning on the wall, glaring at Alice. "I think you should let Bella be alone now."

Bella was grateful for him coming in at the right time, which made her smirk slightly—and Edward caught it. Not only did that make Edward not want to stop staring at Bella, but he also wanted to have a rerun of what happened back in the corn field.

Alice finally chimed in. "Well if you need anything, my room is on the lower level…" Alice glared at Edward before walking down the hall, and leaving them alone.

"She's crazy." Edward slid his posture off the wall, and tried to stand without any help from the wall. His knees were about to give out from the look in Bella's eyes.

Bella was giving him a disapproving look. "You shouldn't talk about your sister like that, even if it's true." She rolled her eyes at him playfully, backed into the door Alice had told her belonged to her room, and turned the knob.

Edward kept his eyes on her, and tried to think of all the reasons he hated hybrids; but he couldn't come up with any at the moment. He was falling for Bella, and knowing she was going to be just down the hall from him made him antsy.

"I get my own room here…nice change." Bella didn't know why she was sharing that information with him. But he was trustworthy— or at least so far he was.

Edward nodded. "That's one of the perks, I guess." He didn't know what to say to her. He was thrown off guard with her. "But you do remember now…right? Everything?"

Bella sighed. "Yeah, unfortunately." Bella hated remembering all the good memories she had with the vampires; it made it that much harder to leave them sooner or later.

Edward didn't know what she meant by what she had just said. And he was about to question her until she suddenly turned around, entered her room, and shut the door.

Bella looked into the darkness of her room, and even though she was in a house full of vampires, she felt alone.

Loneliness; something Bella was quite familiar with…which strangely made her feel at home.

-x-

**Recap: **

Edward and Bella are still not trusting each other with information, but there has definitely been some progress.

Bella still is unsure on whether or not she made the right decision of returning to see the Cullen's, and after remembering her past with them, she can't help feeling a disconnect towards them- which we will learn more about later on.

Edward is also unsure on whether he will be staying with his family, or leaving soon. He knows he should hate living with a hybrid, but Bella is different, and there is definitely something he likes about her. He just doesn't really want to believe it yet.

**A/N:**

I know Rosalie's character is OOC. So I don't need a bunch of comments on that. This is a fanfic, and I made her self loathing for a reason. It just makes more sense for a person with so much anger to hate herself as well, and not see the beauty in herself.

This chapter was kind of boring, so I promise the next one will have some more fun in it.

Thanks for the reviews from the last chapter. I like hearing from you, of course.

**Song: Is Anybody Home? by Our Lady Peace**


	9. Alive

**Disclaimer: **I own everything. Except Twilight, of course.

**Chapter 9: Alive**

_They think they know me, but how can they know me?_

_I'm getting to know myself…_

_I'm finally ready to be somebody with a story to tell._

_**-**__Melissa O'Neil_

-x-

Bella felt different after taking a shower. It was weird being able to choose what soap you wanted, and having three different kinds of shampoo.

She didn't like having so many options; it made her final decision seem cloudy.

Bella stared at herself in the mirror of the foggy bathroom. She looked shiny after washing away the dirt from her skin, and unfortunately, that didn't do anything for her looks.

She still saw herself as nothing worth while, and that's why she felt like she didn't deserve to put on a clean set of pyjama bottoms, and a crisp white t-shirt. She felt like a traitor to The Guard. Here she was stepping into someone else's house, and wearing their clothes, pretending like she owned the place. It was the ultimate middle finger to her organization, and she wasn't sure if she should feel good about that or not.

But Bella wasn't in a stranger's house. She knew each and every one of its residents, yet she couldn't bring herself to let go of her hesitant feelings about the Cullen's. She had this voice in her head telling her they couldn't be trusted because they had lied to her in the beginning, and ruined her life.

It was all too much for her. The small room felt like it was closing in on her all the sudden, and she had to get out.

Bella twisted on the bathroom door handle, yanking the door open, but instead of running back to her room to hide like she had planned, she face planted against Edward's chest. Edward quickly caught her before she could hit the tile floor.

"Jesus, are you okay?" He gripped her wrists carefully, and stared into her scared, dark eyes. But then he noticed her appearance, and how one little shower made her look even more wonderful. He didn't know that was humanly possible. Her skin was bright, her cheek bones were sharp under her piercing eyes, and her hair was darker and tied up into a messy knot.

Bella shook his hands off of her, and took a step away from him. She was curious to know why he had been out in the hallway.

"Before you jump to any conclusions, I was just making my way downstairs." Edward could tell she didn't believe him—and either did he. Edward didn't know why he was wandering the halls…he just was.

"Yeah, I was just having a shower. It's fine," Bella mumbled, stepping around him, but before she could get behind her bedroom door, for whatever reason, Edward felt he had to say one last thing.

"You look good."

She blinked.

Edward felt like an idiot when she stared at him blankly, and then left him in the hallway after shutting her door with him on the other side of it. But he couldn't help it. It just slipped out of him. He cursed himself in his head, and headed back to his room, where he promised himself he would stay for the rest of the night. Maybe that way he could prevent himself from saying anything else stupid.

Bella's heart was beating like a wild animal.

Three simple words—which she didn't believe—had a strange affect on her, especially coming from him.

Bella shook her head to clear her mind, and walked over to sit on her bed.

She had her own bed; something else foreign to her. She was used to sharing a bunk, or sleeping on the floor with a thin blanket, but here, she seemed to have everything. A tall dresser waved at her from across the room, which was placed next to a full closet of clothes.

And they were all her own.

But Bella wasn't interested in clothes. She was more interested in the outdoors. She had the best view of from the back wall of her room, which was completely covered in glass windows.

Bella smiled, and slid off her bed to get a view of the back yard. Like the house, it was massive, and perfect. Grass spread out in every direction, followed with a stream that divided the forest from the property, all lit up by tiny yard lights and the bright moon.

It was like a dream. Everything was too nice here.

Bella took a step away from the wall of windows, and turned to stare back at her lonely room. The darkness of it all didn't bother Bella; she was used to living in worse conditions, and it really wasn't too bad with the moon lighting up the carpet and the walls.

That's when Bella noticed the lonely window on the opposite wall. The fact that she could see a sloping roof made her cross the room to investigate.

Sure enough, this window was in a perfect location in case she needed to sneak out. Even though the distance from the ground to the window was immaculate, the roof ledge offered a perfect place to go and hide from the vampires lurking in the house. It was a risk if she missed, but it was worth it in the end if she got to be alone for a few hours.

She would have to try it out sometime…if she was brave enough.

But for now, Bella's only desire was to curl up in a ball at the center of her new huge bed, and try not to cry herself to sleep.

_**2am**_

_Bella stared at James' red eyes, and backed away from him. His approach on her was frightening, but with her back against the brick wall, she had no where to go._

"_Why don't you like me Bella?" His voice was smooth, and friendly…but at the same time, it had a threatening tone to it._

_That's why Bella chose to lie._

"_I do like you, you're being ridiculous James_—_"_

_His fist slammed into the pit of her stomach, causing her to curl over onto the ground in pain. Next came his foot to her ribs_—_ and the cracking sound made Bella scream._

"_I gave you a life here! And what do you do? Disrespect me with lies!"_

_Bella always made the wrong decisions when it came to James. He was the one vampire she wasn't afraid to voice her opinion in front of, and that always got her into trouble. _

"_James I'm just doing what I'm told. She's my friend, and I can't help it if we're in the same group now."_

_James growled at Bella, who was still on the ground, recovering from the hits to her side. "Victoria can't be trusted. She's a snitch, and she's turning you against me!"_

_Bella chuckled lowly, which was foolish of her. "No, you're doing that all on your own..."_

_Bella was suddenly off the ground, with her back pressed harder against the wall, and her feet were no longer touching the ground. James' grip tightened around her neck, and Bella couldn't get a breath in._

"_Bella, just remember I'm the one who gave you this life…and I can easily take it away."_

Bella's eyes flashed open, and before she knew what she was doing, her body bolted upright, and flipped sideways off the bed, falling onto the carpeted floors. Her eyes franticly searched the unfamiliar room, but when they landed on the half lit closet, she remembered where she was.

She felt foolish for freaking out momentarily.

"God I'm losing it," Bella whispered after picking herself off the floor. She felt like an idiot for letting her dreams consume her reality. But James was someone who over the years began to truly scare her, and that's why she had to remind herself that she was in Forks, miles and miles and miles away from him.

Yet she _still_ felt trapped. The walls of her room were no longer offering her a sense of privacy, but instead, forming a barrier between herself and the outside world— and she needed to get out.

Her eyes came in contact with the small window with the perfect access to the roof, and before Bella could even talk herself out of it, she was opening the window, sliding through it, and jumping for the roof.

Bella's breath caught in her throat when her feet came in contact with the shingles of the roof, the relief washing over her when she didn't fall. "Holy shit." She breathed in a gush of air when she was able to dog crawl up the slope of the roof, and find a peak to sit down on.

Now was her time to relax.

The moon was high in the sky, illuminating the clouds, the trees, and her white skin. Bella looked like she was glowing beneath the light, and that made her wish she had worn a sweater outside so that she didn't have to cover her arms in a pathetic attempt to hide herself.

But Bella had on only a t-shirt, and that offered little coverage from the moon. Instead of getting angry like she normally would have, she decided it didn't matter, and chose to fall onto her back, and stare up at the stars.

This was her chance to contemplate life— and where she had gone wrong in it. But that didn't take long because all she had to do was look down at her wrist, and everything was brought back to her.

"_Now that you're in the know about everything…" An unfamiliar vampire pressed Bella's arm down onto a counter top, and Bella shut her eyes as the pain scraped away at her wrist. "You're officially welcomed into The Guard."_

_Bella pulled her arm away from the vampire when the pain suddenly stopped, but she was too scared to look down at it._

_Instead, she ran from the dark room, and held in sobs as she pumped her legs down the long hallway, and away from any watching eyes._

_Then she stopped, caught her breath, and glanced down at her wrist. More black numbers were tattooed into her wrist, and Bella knew what that meant…_

_The beginning of the end._

_Bella ripped her gaze away from her wrist and rolled her eyes. "We'll see," she whispered to herself._

Bella's eyes flickered away from her wrist when the anger she thought she could pretend didn't exist in her, returned. But it was there, and her chest felt heavy, and her heart suddenly felt like it could rip in half. Everything about today started to make her angry.

Like how she had gotten so close to a vampire like Edward, considering how angry he made her feel. Or how Demetri was a prick and a coward, and would definitely throw her under the bus sooner or later, even if they were sometimes on the same side. But most of all, she thought about the Cullen's, and how fake they were with her arrival. She didn't understand how they could just welcome her back, when really wouldn't any normal family be begging for answers, and upset with her leaving?

Bella's vision began to get cloudy, and she hated that. She didn't want to sit around and mope about her life, and how shitty it turned out. Bella decided tears weren't worth it, and as if by magic, she turned them off.

Bella was getting good at hiding how she truly felt. She was even good at lying to herself. She just wanted to get on with her life, find a purpose, and be happy.

One can only dream though…or at least that's what Bella thought. She didn't believe happiness was ever going to be in her life, and for now, she was OK with that.

Bella took one last glance up at the stars, and swore lightly under her breath. The night was pissing her off, and she needed to get out of it. With both hands planted on the roof, she pushed herself onto her feet, and stood tall…three stories high.

It was very high up, and that's why Bella took extra precautions in walking carefully along the peak of the roof, trying to find another way to get back into the house. Her window wasn't an option; the jump back into the house was at a weird angle, and she wouldn't make it this time around.

Bella was frustrated with the way her first night was turning out. She could be in a warm bed, fast asleep, enjoying the feeling of family…but no, she decided to ditch it before she could give it a chance, and now she was on the roof of a mansion, without anywhere to get down.

In between walking along the huge roof, and gazing at the vastness of the dips and turns of the slopes, Bella spotted a tree, and it was the only option to get to the ground.

"Thank God." Bella was relieved to have an option off the roof, and quickly jumped from one slope of the roof to the other.

Except this time she wasn't as graceful.

She lost her footing in the process. "_Fuck_!" Bella's voice was low in her throat, and everything happened too quickly. Her body flipped over her feet, slamming her back into the shingles. And just when she thought she could grip onto one part of the roof to save her life, it sloped deeper, and her body skidded towards the edge.

Bella let out a yelp as her flailing body headed towards it's doom, and before she could close her eyes, the roof was no longer scarping up her skin, and the air was rushing by her.

But Bella wasn't alone outside— not that she had known that.

Ever since Bella had woken up from her nightmare, Edward decided to keep a watch on her. He was worried about her; especially when she decided to solve her problems with exiting the house through a window.

Edward had kept his distance at first, watching from the other side of the roof and trying to convince himself that making himself known would not help her out.

That is until Bella tripped on the roof, tumbled along the slope, and fell over the edge…

Edward was in the air and colliding with Bella before she could even come close to the ground. His arms wrapped around her torso tightly, and clutched her to him, and when he was sure he had her safely in his body, the fall was easy.

Bella didn't know what was going on, but the moment the cold arms wrapped around her torso, she knew it was Edward. She didn't care either; she just held in the screams, and gripped the neck of his shirt to keep herself tightly to him.

The ground came up quicker than expected, but it was nothing Edward couldn't handle. He landed like a cat, light on his feet, and was able to absorb any whip lash Bella could have experienced.

Then the stillness of the night was around them, and the only movements were Edward's arms sliding away from Bella's waist, and Bella's chest rising up and down.

She felt like she was going to have a heart attack—she hadn't expected him to come out of nowhere.

Bella took a step away from Edward and avoided the eyes that were most likely on her face. How he was always lurking around reminded her of the vampires back in Italy, and how she was never truly alone.

Would she ever get a chance to be by herself?

"What are you doing?" His voice snapped her gaze onto his, and Edward stared into her dark eyes. In them, he found fear, frustration, and so much anger. He didn't understand it. "What's your problem? You have nothing to fear—"

"I don't? You're telling me I'm safe here in a house full of vampires I don't even know?"

"But you _do_ know us." Edward's voice got louder, and it felt like he couldn't get his opinion out quick enough. Bella was voicing hers just as loudly as he was.

"I know _them_…you on the other hand…You left before I got a chance to meet you."

Edward didn't know what to say. He hated that Bella felt like he was the outsider of the family, but it was true. Edward could still remember the day he left as if it were yesterday. Bella came into his family's lives, and he left.

But he was back now, and he had met her when it mattered—maybe he saved her life. He felt that had to be good for something. "I saved your life that night when the propane truck exploded. I found you, unconscious, and took you away from whatever you were running from. They could have found you and finished you off—" he was cut off from Bella's low mocking laughter.

"You think you saved me? From what exactly?"

Edward was unsure now. "Them…The Volturi…" Yup, he felt like a bloody idiot. The way she was shaking her head at him, and giving him the glare of the century made him feel small.

"Listen, _Edward Cullen_…" She took a step closer to him, and leaned in to try and intimidate him. "The only thing you accomplished that night were front row tickets to the aftermath of a suicide gone wrong."

Edward's eyes widened, and when Bella saw his surprised face, she knew she had said too much. She hadn't even realized she was spilling her guts to him—it just sort of happened, and now she was regretting telling him of that horrible night.

Bella then had the urge to get away. She leaned away from him, and took a step back, but Edward's reflexes shot out and gripped her right wrist, keeping her in front of him.

"You tried to kill yourself…" His voice was extremely low, and his glare on her face wasn't going anywhere.

Bella was scared now, but she didn't let herself get drowned by his words. She wanted a backbone, so she pretended she had one. "Yeah." Her answer was put bluntly.

Too bluntly for Edward. "_Yeah?_ That's all you have to say?"

"You don't know what it's like to live a life that you don't have a say in." Bella averted her gaze to the ground, where she felt safe.

Edward loosened his hand on her wrist and shook his head at her. "I didn't choose to be a vampire. But I don't go throwing myself off cliffs or in front of propane trucks—not that it would do anything."

Bella gripped the roots of her hair with her fingers, and tried not to growl at him. "But I did choose this! That's what makes my situation so pathetic!"

Edward was lost. He felt like grabbing the hybrid and shaking some sense into her, but his only option was to stand still and listen.

"I ran away from a family I cared for because I was selfish and wanted more. And look at me now!" Bella tugged on her PJs and then covered her face to hold in a chain of swear words. After a moment or two of silence, she pulled her hands away from her face and stared into his dark eyes. "I just wanted to forget about my past…"

Edward watched the hybrid in front of him crumble. Her hands were shaking, her body couldn't keep still, and her lips were trembling as she tried to speak.

"That night was pointless though. Because no matter what I do, I can never forget and I can never leave the organization." Bella took in a jagged breath after probably saying too much to him, and pretended what she had just said didn't bother her. She sucked up the pain that was eating her on the inside, and faked a sense of not caring.

But she _did_ care…she cared enough to let someone else in her life know her story, and that was big for her—humongous, in fact. So what did that mean? Was she finally letting her guard down to someone, or was she just done following The Guard's rules? She wasn't sure.

Edward stood tense while feeling the vulnerability seep off the girl in front of him. Never had Bella appeared weaker in his eyes, and never had he felt so protective of her. Maybe that's why the next words out of his mouth were completely unnatural for a vampire who loathed hybrids and humans to say.

"I can help you." His voice was firm, and his eyes showed no hint of joking.

Bella pinched the bridge of her nose, and tried not to get angry at him. But it was difficult because he didn't know her situation…and she couldn't let him know it. "It's better if you just leave me alone Edward," she whispered.

But Edward would never leave her alone. This hybrid drove him insane, and he craved her. "No."

Bella pulled her hand away from her face and gave him an amused look, mixed with her frustration. "What?"

"I said no. You're making it seem like no one wants to help you. But I do."

Bella didn't get him. Why wouldn't he just give up already? "Why do you want to help me?"

"I don't exactly enjoy myself on this earth either. We're the same. "

"You're a hybrid? I wouldn't have thought so. But now that I give you the once over, you are like me. You're pretty weak, defenceless, and unattractive. Yeah, I see it now."

Edward was rolling his eyes at her while she ticked off all the false traits Bella thought about herself, but when he heard the word unattractive slip out of her mouth…_that_ was just too far.

"Unattractive? Bella you're far from unattractive." As lame as he felt trying to reassure someone who didn't want to her of her beauty, he had this urge to convince her.

"Shut up Edward. I'm nothing compared to you and your family."

Edward couldn't help it then. He took a quick step towards her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and moved so that his lips were an inch from her left ear.

Bella's breathing hitched. His closeness made her nervous—not that she was afraid though. As uncomfortable as she should have felt, she didn't at all. He was the one vampire that she allowed to get close to her— and she didn't know why.

"Trust me Bella," he whispered, his lips brushing against her bare neck. Bella slowly leaned into him. "You're very tempting. And it has absolutely nothing to do with the scent of your blood."

Then he pulled away from her, as if nothing had happened, and Bella found herself all alone in the night. She spun around to find him, but sure enough, he had disappeared into thin air.

Bella's eyes searched the darkness for any sign of him, but he had vanished. And she was bothered by that. She didn't want him to leave so soon. Here she had thought she wanted to be all alone, when really, she craved his closeness.

_That_ fact frightened her.

But before she had a chance to even try searching for him, cool arms wrapped around her waist, and Bella felt the ground rushing out from under her. She was airborne, with Edward clutching her hard against his chest, and even though the trees were flashing past her, and the ground was getting farther and farther away, she wasn't scared. Not even in the least bit.

She felt free. Whole. Alive.

Then the trees weren't whipping past her, and she was able to catch her breath— 100 feet up in a tree taller than the house.

"Oh my God Edward," Bella whispered. She loved being so high up, looking down on the world. She felt bigger, and braver up in the tree, and the height felt empowering.

She couldn't get enough of it. The cool night air, the stars, the moonlight, and feeling so high…she had never felt so good. Bella wanted to bask in this new found joy all night, and she couldn't help but lean over the tree branch, and experience it all—

"Whoa Bella!" Edward wrapped his arm tighter around the fearless hybrid's waist, while his other one gripped an overhead tree branch to keep them both from toppling over.

"What? I've never experienced this before. Give me a break." Bella leaned over even more, and peered down at the ground, all the while not even understanding how nervous she was making Edward. "Fuck Edward, you're killing me with your death vice—" She quickly turned around to accuse him of taking away her fun, but when her eyes stared into his, she was lost for words.

He was so good looking. His hair was perfectly messy and brilliant under the moonlight, his skin was glowing, and his eyes…_God_, they were so dark…

"Are you thirsty?" Bella asked, confused by the color of his eyes, and how they swept over her face like she looked like something good to eat.

Edward chuckled lowly. "Yes. But not for what you're thinking."

Bella let it slip her mind, and turned back around to stare into the night. She wanted to remember this forever because if she was going to be free from The Guard for only a short amount of time, she wanted to enjoy as much of her freedom as she could.

Edward was enjoying himself too. He let his arms tighten around Bella, and when she didn't pull back, he took that as a sign that maybe they weren't meant to be enemies.

Maybe one day, they could be alright together.

-x-

"I'm going hunting with Alice and Rosalie later on tonight." Edward couldn't get the words out fast enough. They had been chewing on him all night, and he felt guilty when he saw the look in Bella's eyes. And when she turned back around to exploring her new closet as if he didn't say anything, he felt horrible. "I'll be back around lunch time tomorrow, I mean, we're not going that far—"

"Jesus Edward, relax," Bella said lowly.

Edward took in a jagged breath and reminded himself to keep his temper in check. Instead of making a big deal out of it all, he watched Bella fidget in the full length mirror, looking at herself with a dress held up to her neck.

Then she rolled her eyes, and threw it on the floor of the closet.

Edward chuckled. "What?" He quickly crossed the room and picked up the light coloured dress. "Not a dress person?"

Bella glared at him. "No. I have never been. Alice should know that from before."

Edward lost his words. He seemed to always forget that there was a time where Bella wasn't away in Italy. Once upon a time, she was a little girl, living amongst his own family.

How he wished he could go back in time, and choose to stay with her…

"I think you should go back to your room," Bella whispered, catching herself from saying anything further when his eyes caught her own.

Edward nodded. "Alright. I just wanted to let you know about the hunting trip anyway…you should be fine here. Esme and Carlisle will be out, but Emmett and Jasper might be around."

"Lovely."

Edward chuckled. "I know, they've changed a bit."

Bella shrugged. "Nah, they've always taunted the me. I used to hate living with them. They were the stereotypical older brothers. I wonder if that's what you would have been like if you had stuck around." Bella eyed him curiously, and then went to open her bedroom door for Edward to leave. Yet, when she turned to see him leave, he was closer to her face than she would have thought.

She inhaled, taking in his scent.

He smiled crookedly. "I couldn't be a good older brother," Edward whispered, leaning in closely until his lips barely brushed her own. "Because then I couldn't do this…" Edward's lips carefully parted, and slowly pressed down on Bella's. This kiss was careful, and ended too soon.

Bella pressed her back against the wall when his lips left hers, and when she opened her eyes, he was suddenly not in front of her anymore. But she was thankful for his absence; she didn't think she would be able to restrain herself from him much longer.

Their relationship was going somewhere, and so far, both were too chicken to admit it.

_**10am**_

After raiding her new closet for anything that didn't look like it was fresh from a store, Bella slowly descended the stairs wearing jeans, a plain shirt, and her own chucks from before.

Her eyes scanned over the kitchen as she entered it, looking for a good place to search for food. She opened the fridge hesitantly, and found fresh fruit, vegetables, and tons of drinks. Bella shut the door quickly, and moved on to search for something more familiar.

Like bread.

Bella found a loaf tucked above the microwave, and carefully removed a slice without disturbing the other pieces. When she tied the bag back up, Bella stared at the empty kitchen, unsure what to do with it next.

Should she toast it…or microwave it…cut it in half and save a piece for later…or put a topping on it…?

There were too many options. And amongst her decision making, Emmett and Jasper slipped into the kitchen, and startled Bella by saying the classic line of _'Boo'._

Bella flinched away from the voices, and stumbled over a few barstools. But when she heard Emmett and Jasper laugh, she finally spun around to face them.

"Hey," Bella said awkwardly.

Emmett cocked an eyebrow at her. "Not sure how to use the toaster or something?" he asked, nodding at the piece of bread Bella was still holding.

She dropped it onto the island instead of explaining.

Emmett continued to torment her. "Well maybe the cult you were from didn't exactly have appliances."

Bella's jaw dropped. Emmett was really cutting into her fast. It seemed he definitely had a grudge of some kind.

"Where have you been all this time anyway?" He eyed her like he sued to when she had done something wrong. "Why didn't they kill you? Were you working with them?" Emmett continued to stare into her confused eyes, knowing he was cornering her into an answer.

Bella hesitated near the island. "I don't really think it matters now. I'm home—"

"Why is it so hard to go back to the way things were? There was a time when you _actually_ enjoyed living here with us, and we were a family," Jasper cut in.

Bella looked down at the floor. "I don't know. It just is."

"Only because you make it that way," Jasper said lowly.

Jasper and Emmett both laughed when Bella shot them a dirty look, and curled her hands into fists.

"Relax Bella." Emmett crossed the kitchen with Jasper behind him. "We're just messing with you."

Bella didn't take her eyes off the vampires when they left out the kitchen door, and headed onto the grass for a game of catch.

It was so easy for them point the finger at her…but then again, they didn't have The Guard making the decisions for them.

-x-

"I just don't like leaving her on her own, is that such a crime?" Edward couldn't keep still. He felt antsy knowing Bella was left at home with just his moron brothers. They weren't exactly too thrilled with how she had turned out.

"Edward…_hello?_" Alice tapped the side of her head, near her temple, and grinned. "Have you forgotten who you're with?"

Edward shook his head. "No, but your foresight isn't exactly as keen as I would like it to be."

"Ouch."

Edward chuckled. "You know what I mean."

"Yes." Alice stood up from the rock she was perched on, and stared into the stillness of the forest. "3…2…1…" And just like that, Rosalie, Carlisle and Esme appeared out from behind a few trees.

Edward rolled his eyes at Alice. She was still such a show off.

"How's the hunting you two?" Carlisle wrapped his arm around his wife, and grinned when she sunk into the side of him.

Alice smirked to herself. "Oh not as much fun as I'm sure you're having."

Esme cocked an eyebrow. "Why's that? Edward, are you fighting—"

"No, Alice is just taking too long to find her prey. She's just as picky as ever."

"Not true. You're just upset because you want to get back to your _lover_."

Edward snapped his head up and glared at Alice. "Bella is not my—"

"Oooh how did you know I was even talking about Bella?" Alice eyed Edward playfully, and when he growled at her, Esme and Carlisle couldn't help but stifle a laugh.

Edward turned his glare on them. "It's not like that. I'm just helping her out."

"More like helping yourself," Alice said lowly.

Edward snapped a branch off the tree he was leaning on, and biffed it as hard as he could at Alice. But she was quick and light on her feet, so no damage was done.

"You two, my goodness!" Esme scolded. "It's as if you're school kids fighting over a toy."

"And that toy is our young Bella," Rosalie added.

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose. "She's not young anymore. She's matured—"

"Since the last time you saw her? Hmm, tell me Edward, how has she changed since the last time you two spoke? Oh that's right, you never even gave her a chance," Alice argued. She had to speak over the growling building up in Edward's chest, and Esme trying to shush her. "I mean, everyone else is forgetting this fact. I'm not. You pissed me off when you left—"

"I don't know what to tell you." Edward took a couple steps back, unsure how to explain himself.

"You could say you're sorry," Alice said. "And not just to me either. Bella would probably have benefited if you were around. Instead of disappearing, she probably would have been following you around like a love sick puppy."

Edward froze. "Excuse me?"

Esme nodded. "Edward, clearly something is going on between you and her. I mean even now, you can't go a second without thinking about her."

Edward was defensive all the sudden. "She's still vulnerable, and I'm just looking out for her. Jesus, it's like you're biting me in the throat for helping someone out. Since when is that a crime?"

But there wasn't a chance for the family to answer. Just as Edward was losing his temper, Alice got a vision— and this one included Bella.

Edward's eyes widened as he watched the images flash across Alice's eyes, but when he saw Bella's blood dripping in their own kitchen, he turned and bolted in the direction of the house.

He knew he was going to be too late, but he had to try.

-x-

Bella was just trying to figure out how to turn on the microwave when Emmett decided to throw Jasper a nasty curve ball too far off to the left. Instead of the ball falling nicely into Jaspers mitt like Emmett had hoped, the ball swung around him, and smashed through the kitchen window, startling the hybrid inside.

A million pieces of glass exploded around Bella, some falling to the floor, but the majority slicing into her skin. Bella's reflexes took over, and without thinking, Bella snapped her body around to avoid further damage, but in doing so, she collided into the counter top, which also had a knife lying on the top of it.

Bella didn't feel the slicing pain as her arm slid over the blade, but when the silence and stillness of the room came back to her, she finally looked down at herself and felt it all at once.

"_Shit_." Bella pushed herself away from the counter and stared at the destruction of the room. Blood had spattered across the room, and it begun to puddle under her feet as her arm bled and bled.

Bella felt sick at the sight of it all.

That was the least of her worries, because outside, two vampires were horror stuck at the damage they had just seen done to their kitchen. But one vampire was more caught up in the damage done to the hybrid…and all the blood…

"Jasper don't—" Emmett was too late though, and the words were barely out of his mouth when Jasper fell victim to his thirst, and slammed through the other unbroken window of the kitchen, and went head first for the unknowing hybrid.

Bella was on the ground in half a second with Jasper straddling her. She didn't even have time to move—his teeth were in her arm, piercing her skin and the wound, and starting to suck in her blood.

Bella wasn't scared. She knew what was happening, and she knew if she didn't take control, she would be left completely drained, and back at square one without any memory.

Instead of letting the shooting pain of her arm scare her, she used that to her advantage, and got angry instead. This was her way of adding wood to the fire, using all the remaining energy, and tapping into her vampire abilities.

Bella ripped her arm away from the thirsty vampire after only ten seconds, and before he could latch on again, she actually shoved him off of her, and flipped her body over the island for safety.

"Jasper calm down." Emmett tackled his brother before he could advance on the hybrid once more, and that was the time Bella needed to get away.

Adrenaline pumped through her veins, and gave her the ability to throw herself out of the window, and land like a cat outside on the lawn. Bella didn't stop there though; she needed to get away, and without another look at the house, she bolted for the trees, leaving the vampires behind.

-x-

Edward smelled the blood even before he threw the front door open, but nothing could have prepared him for the tragic mess in the kitchen.

Edward held his breath to prevent himself from going mad. It looked like a massacre had gone on. Blood was everywhere, cabinets were smashed in, and shards of glass covered the room.

Then there was Emmett and Jasper, who sat with their heads down, never looking more guilty in their lives.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER!" Edward's rage came over the room like a tsunami on a small town. His brothers even flinched from his audibility…or maybe it was because they were regretting what they had done. "ANSWER ME!" Edward smashed a cabinet with his fist; the wood splintering into the mess of the kitchen.

"It was a mistake." Jasper's hands shook beside him, and Emmett looked whiter than normal. But Edward wasn't taking that all into account. He didn't care if they felt sorry, or if everything had been a big mistake. All he could see were the images flashing through their minds of the attack, and Bella fleeing.

"_You better hope I get to her in time!_" Edward roared spinning around to leave the house, ignoring Alice's entrance, and the pleas in her mind to wait it out.

_She's fine Edward, she's not going anywhere. Let her be alone right now. I wouldn't recommend trying to talk to her, _Alice thought to herself, knowing Edward would hear her. But judging by the way he picked up his speed, there was no talking him out of it.

Edward was angrier than ever, and no one was changing his mind.

But then there was Bella, who was also done playing nice, and as she ran, she decided that no vampires in her life were going to tell her what to do.

Not anymore.

-x-

**Recap: **

Bella had a nightmare, which was a quick reflection of her past. It told us that James doesn't like Bella and Victoria hanging out, and that he thinks Victoria is turning Bella against him.

We learned in this chapter that the night Bella was struck by a propane truck, she had done it to herself. She was trying to commit suicide in hopes that maybe the propane would ignite and kill her, but that failed. Instead, she lost her memory. All Bella wanted to do was forget the horrible things she had seen and done in the past, and killing herself was the answer at the time.

Jasper and Emmett are being jerks to Bella because they are upset with the fact that she is no longer this little playful hybrid, and they don't trust her anymore.

Bella only has a little bit of vampire speed and strength when she is forced to use it in situations where she wants to fight back, and isn't scared. That's how she was able to get Jasper off of her, slip out of the window, and run away.

Bella and Edward also got a bit closer. They are at a point where they both know that they like being around each other, and that in time will develop.

**A/N: **

Yes I know Jasper and Emmett are OOC.

**Song: Alive by Melissa O'Neil**


	10. She's Leaving Home

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. But just Twilight. Not this fanfic…

**Chapter 10: She's Leaving Home**

_She's leaving home after living alone for so many years. –The Beatles_

-x-

It was a speed Bella hadn't ever reached. She had never felt this light on her feet before, and her legs were carrying her angry form too quickly through the forest.

Then she fell.

Her body flung over a fallen tree, throwing her violently over a huge rock, and straight into a small swamp.

The swamp was thick, and its contents covered Bella completely.

"Fucking hell!" she screamed, slapping her hand into the mud. She then got back onto her two feet after wiping some gunk from her eyes.

_Her tearing eyes_, that is. But she told herself it was from the dirt.

It certainly wasn't from the bite mark on her arm. It was done being painful now, and it was slightly numb. But the blood still covered the wound, and the teeth marks were still quite visible.

Venom was the only weapon a vampire had on hybrids.

The silence of the forest was deafening to Bella, but that gave her the chance to hear an incoming presence—one she didn't want to be around right now.

Hiding was the answer, and her training with the guard reminded her that the higher up, the better. She pushed her legs off the ground, sprung onto a tree branch, and quickly onto another.

She never looked more inhuman.

The intruder was slowing down, but she could still hear the rustling of branches, and twigs snapping. This urged her to get farther along, with her only option was to swing from tree to tree.

Then she stopped.

The presence was made known, and Bella twisted around a high tree to hide herself.

His eyes scanned the bottom of the forest first, tracing over for any evidence that his target may have been there.

He knew she was. Her scent was all over the place, causing the venom to run deep into his throat.

Bella slowly twisted her head around the tree to get a glimpse of her follower, and when her eyes scanned over the vampire…she couldn't help gasping.

The vampire smiled and snapped his line of vision up towards Bella, and when he saw her worried look, he knew she was going to be easy to catch.

"I can smell the fear from here," James chuckled. "You're done."

And with that, he jumped from his spot, catching the paralyzed hybrid around the waist, and pinning her against the bough of the tree, way high up above the ground.

Bella felt her insides turn. All hope of fighting back _like_ she had with Jasper was gone.

She had let fear get in the way…and now she was doomed.

"I had to hear—"

"Please let me explain." Bella cut off the blonde vampire, in hopes she would be able to get her side of the story in first.

That only infuriated him.

Bella shut her eyes when he threw his hand back, ready to strike. But instead of feeling a blow to her cheek, her stomach, or her throat, she was simply shoved from the tree.

The fall broke her leg. A compound fracture just below the knee— the bone a bright white, smeared in blood, and oozing out other liquids.

"James I didn't know what to do—"

"And you're still trying to defend your running away from us. I had to hear it from some other vampire that you were in some town called Forks, still alive and everything."

Bella heard his words from a distance; the pain in her leg was nearly unbearable. But she always had something worse to compare it too, and she knew it would only last a bit longer before it ceased away.

James crouched down so that he was eye level with the nervous hybrid, and glared into her brown eyes while trying to ignore the temptation of her blood. "I see you have a new marking." His eyes glanced over Bella's arm where Jasper's teeth marks still were quite visible. "Now you'll have something to remember about your _vacation_ in Forks for when you return to _The Guard_."

Bella remembered the promise she had made herself. She was going to live life by her own means, and not someone else's.

"I'm not coming back."

James had expected to hear those words somewhere along the line. But they didn't matter. To him, she didn't have a say. "You know what happens when you start thinking like that. You no longer are thinking at all."

"I'd rather be dead anyway. I can't do it anymore." It was all true. Even though the fear of speaking these words to him was making her voice seem thick, she was done playing his game…

James leaned forward and raised his hand to Bella's cheek, which caused the hybrid to flinch slightly. But all James did was wipe a smidge of dirt from her face, glare into her eyes, and speak. "Victoria's going to be killed."

Bella blinked.

"She told you to run. We know—"

"You're bluffing. She's an asset you need."

"She's been trouble from day one. She's bound to flip flop. But since Aro knows she's your little play mate, he keeps her around. Of course, if you're not going to be around…no point for her to live…"

Bella could no longer feel the pain in her leg. Instead, the pit of her stomach felt like it was drowning her from the inside out, and if she didn't bail ship, she'd be brought down…along with her friend.

"Fine." Her voice was low, and when the word left her lips, her heart felt like it had cracked in half.

Where had the backbone she thought she had gone to? She didn't fight back like she knew she could. She felt dead inside…helpless knowing her friend's life was on the line.

"Fine what?"

"I'll see you back at the site in a day. Just give me some time, and I promise, if you leave her alone, and give us a second chance, it will be as if this ordeal never even happened." Her head was pounding with a headache coming on. Just thinking about returning was making her ill.

James was satisfied. "See? All it took was a little talking, and no harm done. It's amazing what can happen when an old friend comes back into the picture, and sets things straight for you. The Guard is your life…you know it." It was the same story he always repeated to her, clearing her away from temptations.

Bella didn't voice anything else further. Someone else had brought themselves into the picture suddenly, and the situation escaladed quickly.

Edward.

A growl erupted from the new angry vampire's chest, his eyes never leaving his target in front of him. The blonde vampire was unfamiliar, but the hybrid on the ground wasn't. He couldn't help snarling at the grinning blonde vampire, and before he got a chance to looking into his mind, he was speaking it.

"Remember what I said young one." James looked at Bella, but Bella wouldn't look at him. James didn't bother taunting her anymore; she obviously had made friends quick, and it was apparent that this one in front of him would fight till the death for her.

He backed down from him, and ran away.

-x-

Edward had came across Bella's scent, and followed its random trail trough the forest as fast as he could.

Not fast enough.

A ferocious snarl ripped out of him at the sight of messed up looking hybrid hunched on the ground, with an unfamiliar vampire crouching in front of her.

And when the vampire spoke to her, making it sound like he was warning her of something, Edward turned even more ferocious.

But he didn't have a chance to rip the vampire to shreds.

He ran like a coward, and Edward chose to tend to his hybrid instead.

"Bella you're hur—t" he hadn't even realized his hands were snaking under her body, lifting her from the ground, but when she hissed, and his grip was suddenly pried away from her, he was shocked back to a reality where this hybrid was frightened of him.

Bella moved several feet away from him, keeping her eyes on his body, and angling herself so that she would be ready for anything.

"Bella please don't be scared…" his voice was low, and it sounded like he was pleading with her. Edward couldn't blame her though for finding him frightening, but that was the last thing he wanted.

Bella chuckled, but it was more menacing than light-hearted. It had a mocking tone, and that made Edward weary of her.

"Scared?" Bella shook her head at him, all the while keeping a sharp glare. "I am _not _scared." She wasn't lying. She didn't have a reason to be scared. She trusted Edward now, and James was gone. Bella was more pissed than anything…she hated being looked at as weak.

"Back at the house…and Jasper—"

"Fluke right?" Bella pointed to the bite mark, even though Edward was already staring at it. "Well I've had a lot of 'flukes' in my life." She touched the rest of the light bite scars on her arms. "But those were all from fights. Jasper's was the first bite that was actually a bloodlust one. He's crazy. And I don't trust him." That was the truth.

"You don't have to trust him." Edward took a step closer to her, his eyes scanning over her frail form. He took in her appearance and wondered how she could be so attractive with so much mud and blood on her. He pushed those thoughts out of his mind. He had more important things to think about. Like what had gone on just now…

"Don't even ask Edward. He was someone from the organization I was apart of, just checking up on me," Bella quickly spoke before Edward could get a word in.

Edward believed the part about the vampire being from her organization, but he didn't believe the part about him just checking up on her. He had done more than that. "Well if that were true, why the hell is your leg busted open—" He stopped himself when his eyes glanced over her leg…which was completely fine.

"How the hell…"

Bella chuckled, this time for real. "Problem?" She went to walk past him, but he quickly shot out an arm, and grabbed her upper arm to keep her beside him. He stared down at her appearance. He knew he had seen her injured…he wouldn't come up with something like that on his own.

But before he could appraise her any longer, she whipped her arm out of his grip, launched herself towards a tree branch, and flipped her body up onto a higher one.

Edward barely had time to blink. He was stunned.

"I heal easily." Bella perched herself up on a branch, dangling her legs ten feet above Edward. She leaned over the branch to see that his neck was craned to get a view of her as well. And judging by the blank look on his face, he wanted her to continue.

So she did. "For someone who hates hybrids, you sure know nearly next to nothing about them. It shows how judgemental and prejudice you are." Bella caught Edward narrowing his eyes at her, but she continued her rant anyway. "But then again, I have prejudice thoughts about vampires too. I hated you too when I first met you…but I was sort of programmed that way from living with dangerous vampires. Because everyone knows, '_if you_ _play with fire, you _will_ get burned…_'"

Edward stared into Bella's dark eyes, which seemed to be getting darker as she opened up about herself and her horrific past. This was the moment he desperately wanted ever since he met her. He wanted the mysteriousness surrounding her to resolve, and today it might possibly be happening.

"That night you picked me up, what did you think happened to me? Like really," Bella asked lowly.

Edward shifted his footing, and took in a slow breath. "I thought you may have been in a car accident…but now that I think about it…I don't really know what I thought that night…" His eyes were no longer staring into hers, but were looking over her shoulder into the distance. He was trying to search his brain for what could have happened to her, but he was coming up with nothing. She looked fine that night, but apparently, she heals quickly…

Edward swallowed hard. He was getting nervous— for Bella's sake.

Bella chuckled. "We'll be here all night if you try and come up with something." Bella crossed a leg over her knee, and avoided the eyes that were now on her face, "I was hit by that truck— I was the one that damaged the front of it, stopped it across the highway, ultimately killing _another_ innocent person."

Too many thoughts ran into Edwards mind. The night replayed over in his head…_the explosion, and then finding her unconscious_. Edward didn't even know what he wanted to ask first. Everything was overwhelming him, and the fact that she had survived it was astonishing enough. It was impossible.

"I can't die."

Edward's eyes flashed to hers.

Bella didn't move her eyes off of his.

Edward's jaw tightened. He hadn't realized this about hybrids. This fact was new, and although he should have felt guilty for realizing she had his fate at an afterlife, he felt relief that she could be around forever…possibly within his sight.

Then another side of the story came over Edward. "Why were you even there in the first place? Another side of the Volturi I'm not allowed to know about I'm sure, but you're the one who's opening up to me—" Edward was trying to start a fight with her. He was angry knowing she still had this soft side for her organization, but when she cut him off suddenly, he was left stunned.

"I tried to kill myself. Remember…?"

That did it. Edward's glare intensified, his jaw more rigid than ever, and his fists suddenly clenched at his sides. He didn't like being reminded about her suicide attempt. It made him angry all over again.

Bella chuckled lightly, amused by the fact that he really had no idea what he was dealing with. "I'm a hybrid with lost luggage. I have a future mapped out by someone else. It took me this long to realize I don't want to be apart if it."

"You can't die though. Why would you even try?" He was still caught up in the suicide discussion, so Bella had to answer.

"Just in case…it was a propane truck, and if it exploded…I mean…who knows, that could have been my lucky day."

That was too much for Edward. Her thinking like that was insane—and made him feel insane.

Edward suddenly sprung forward, and knocked Bella from the tree. But his arms wrapped protectively around her, keeping her tight against him while he found his footing on the ground.

Bella did nothing to fight back. She knew he was just trying to intimidate her, and get her attention.

"I'm sorry that you've had a past that's traumatizing…but it's unacceptable to try and take yourself off this earth simply because you want to get away from it." Edward loosened his arms around her when she wouldn't look him in the eye, but when he put a foot of space in between them, she finally glanced at him.

"Well, you don't know my organization…that's why I have to go back."

Edward mockingly laughed. "Yes, because I'm going to let that happen." His voice was thick with a sarcastic tone.

"It's going to happen with or without your approval. You don't run my life."

"No. _They_ do! Don't you see?"

"It doesn't get past me. But it's my only option—"

"The hell it is!" He grabbed onto her shoulders tightly and stared deeply into her eyes. It was like he was staring into her soul, and he could see so much hurt, and fear from past situations. "I'm the only option you need right now."

Bella wasn't listening though. Her mind had already been made. She couldn't leave her friend hanging just because she could have something real with a stupid vampire. It was selfish.

She lowered her head and went to pull away from him.

Edward wasn't having that. He gripped her shoulders tighter, yanked her closer to him, and pressed his lips passionately onto hers. He had to show her…show her what?

He pulled away from her abruptly, and dropped his hands from her shoulders. Bella dropped her gaze to the ground, and he hated that. She was being a coward instead of fighting back or and telling her true feelings on why she had to go.

"You're giving up." Edward took a step away from her, and waited for her react to calling her out.

But she didn't.

Bella felt defeated, and instead of letting something so stupid get to her, she let it slide off her shoulder, and she ignored him.

Edward shook his head, "You're not the hybrid I thought you were. I thought you were different, but I was wrong."

Then he left, leaving Bella standing in the damp woods.

But she didn't stand there for long.

She put one foot in front of the other, and walked out of the forest at her own pace, and all the while she was unable to make up her mind about why she went back to the house.

_**3pm**_

"I didn't see him." Alice covered her face to hide her frustration from Carlisle. "I mean…I've been missing a lot lately. There are so many loop holes with her— she can't make up her mind…"

Carlisle laughed.

"Great. I'm glad you find this funny. Edward nearly ripped me a new one for not seeing everything that happened this morning soon enough, and then top it off with Bella's cloudy future—"

"Relax Alice, I'm not laughing at you. I am merely laughing at the fact that our Bella hasn't really changed that much."

Alice blinked. She didn't see what he was talking about. Bella couldn't have changed any more. It was like night and day between the two. She didn't know what Carlisle was talking about.

"She still can't make up her mind," Carlisle added, "Just like before. She always wanted to please everyone around her, but then there was that side of her that needed to break away, and be free…it makes choosing sides hard for her."

"Well I guess we know which way she went in the end…"

Carlisle glared at Alice. "I don't believe that. Bella came back to us. She loves us, just as much as we love her. The Volturi are a tough group to be around— it's difficult to leave, and I imagine they aren't giving her an easy time for doing so."

"Who says she even left in the first place?" Alice was getting worked up, which wasn't like her. But when it came to Bella, and her well being, she often found herself raising her voice. Even towards Carlisle, who didn't deserve it. "You know what…I'm sorry Carlisle, I'm just going crazy here."

"It's OK. Just remember, she's here now. That's all that matters."

Alice smiled. "That's right. We should make the most of it." She turned and left the living room to go and find Jasper. Carlisle had plans of his own too, and left the living room after her.

And that's when they noticed the hybrid, leaning at the very end on the hallway wall, covered in mud, staring blankly at the two of them.

Carlisle felt a pain of guilt in his stomach when he saw her face, and so did Alice. Neither knew what to say. They had been caught off guard by her presence.

"Bella—" Alice cut herself off when the hybrid pushed herself off the wall, turned her back, and walked up the stairs.

Alice looked at Carlisle when she heard Bella's door slowly close, neither knowing what to do.

Carlisle found words first. "Let's just give her some space. But just keep an eye on her, OK?"

"Sure thing."

_**Later**_

Bella stared at her closet.

On the right were six shelves, one on top of the other, filled with folded clothes that matched every color of the rainbow. On the left, hung items were placed, in which dresses and blouses swayed when the wind from the open window blew through. On the floor of the closet were several shoes, ranging from flats to heels.

Bella's eyes began to tear.

It was one thing to leave a family that cared too much for you. But then it was a whole hell of another thing to come back a new person, and expect to mould back into a niche that was never fitting anyway.

This was how Bella felt.

Once upon a time, she was a child, a misfit, and felt like an inadequate human. Life sucked because she didn't know her place in it. Then came James.

_James._

Although she absolutely hated that vampire with every fibre in her being, she had to give him credit for opening up her eyes to a world where gumdrops didn't fall from the sky, and kids didn't get tucked in by their parents every night.

The world is a sick place. And Bella had seen the core of it.

And the worse had yet to come…

Bella shuddered.

She was no longer that adolescent hybrid kid who had anger for not knowing her place in the world. She was now an angry, full grown hybrid, now in the know of the dark fate of the world, but feeling too small to change its doomed ending.

Or could she?

Bella stared at her closet again.

She didn't like what she saw.

If she stayed with the Cullen's, she was being that person on the sidelines that watched a kid get bullied, and did nothing about it. But if she left the Cullen's, she was the bully, and was beating the shit out of an innocent kid for twenty five cents.

Bella shook her head.

There had to be a middle option.

Bella decided to leave her small room to get away from thinking. She opened her door, and crept towards the bathroom, but when she saw Edward's room door open, she stopped in place.

Was this God telling her something?

"Edward…" she whispered, taking a few steps closer to his door, peering into his tidy bedroom. It had a black couch on one wall where a bed should be, a closet full of unused clothes, and a back wall view of the backyard.

Bella entered his room and stared into the foreign space. It felt unlived in, and made her feel uneasy. Or maybe that was because she sensed a presence behind her, and when she spun around, her heart nearly jumped out of her chest.

"Jesus why'd you sneak up on me!" Bella took in a jagged breath, and took a beeline for the door.

But Edward stepped in front of her. "We need to talk." He didn't bother to bring up why she was even in his room to begin with. He didn't care. She was here right now, and he had a lot to discuss.

He slammed the door shut, not caring if this action made Bella nervous.

But Bella wasn't nervous. She was curious. She didn't understand why he was so upset still. He wasn't the one who knew that humanity's fate was hanging on the line. Why couldn't he just let it all go, and go back to living his vampire life?

"Why the hell did Alice just have a vision of you running back to your old group?" Edward's face was composed as much as it could be. But on the inside, he was fighting himself.

"Maybe cause Alice can see the future."

Edward turned and punched the wall, angry with Bella's smartass attitude. And when he realized how quickly he was losing his temper, he chose to break a book shelve in half, throwing its contents across the floor.

One content in particular landed near Bella's feet. Her heart nearly stopped.

"No way…" Bella whispered, staring down at the all too familiar book.

Edward's eyes fixated back onto Bella, who had leaned over to pick up a book, and flipped open the first page. Edward stared, not understanding what she was doing.

Bella grinned when she stared down at the name on the inside cover of the book from her past. _Edward Cullen,_ she read. It brought her back to the day her life went downhill…but Bella was grateful for that day, because up until that point in her life, she wasn't going in any direction.

"What's so funny?" He was still angry, but he was more curious now. Edward came up beside Bella, and leaned in to see her hand tracing his name that was written on the inside of the _Tuck Everlasting_ book.

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Bella?"

She stopped, and looked up at him. "I remember having to read this book…I would usually read by the pond where we used to live—"

"In Alaska. The pond had a deep end to swim in, and a shallow end to wade through." Edward knew exactly what she was talking about, and couldn't help but smile with her. Bella had a way of making his temper disappear— even if she was usually the cause of it.

"Yes. I often went there when I was upset…everyday, pretty much."

Edward nodded. "Me too. My family knew not to bother me when I went there to vent."

Bella laughed. "Except for—"

"Emmett," they both said simultaneously, grinning.

Silence surrounded them after. Edward stared in awe at the hybrid before him, taking in every detail of her face in case the future Alice saw would come true.

Bella did the same. She knew she couldn't stay. Even if she knew she was falling for a vampire, she couldn't let him keep her here. It wasn't right, or fair.

"This was the last book I read before I was taken to Italy…" Bella stared down at the warn cover of _Tuck Everlasting_, and then opened it to reveal Edward's name. "And like the fool I was, when I looked down at your name, I despised your existence. I didn't understand how you could run away from a vampire family that loved you." Bella chuckled after, but there was nothing she found funny about what she was saying. "Little did I know, I would be doing the very same thing not even a moment later."

Edward watched Bella close the book, and throw it back into the mess of books on the floor.

"But now that I know you…I couldn't have been more wrong."

Edward wasn't sure if he was just crazy, or maybe he was just feeling too many things at once, because he was sure his silent heart had taken a beat. And his stomach...it felt like it was on a spin cycle, even though he knew that would be impossible.

She was doing it again. _All the time_, really. Making him fall for her. But honestly, she wasn't making him do anything…He was feeling these things for her all on his own.

"Bella I know exactly what you mean…" How was he supposed to tell her this? "I didn't exactly run away from my family without a reason."

Bella stayed silent for him.

"I left Alaska because of you." He hesitated for the next part, "I wasn't going to be apart of a family that was taking in a hybrid…it wasn't right."

Bella laughed.

"What?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "I guess I was right then. You are an asshole."

Edward ignored her, but hid a smile before she could see it. "Anyway, I left. I didn't want anything to do with you. I wouldn't even look at you. And that's why I didn't recognize who you were that night I found you."

Bella nodded. "Yeah I had no idea who you were until you said your last name."

"I know," he sighed. "Well I know now…"

For whatever reason, it felt like a load off their shoulders. Both knew they were each other's biggest enemies at one point in their lives…but at this point, they didn't have to be.

"Where does this leave us?" Edward asked, stepping forward. "Because unless Alice sees something different soon, I'm not letting you out of my sight."

Bella stepped closer to him, nudging his hand with hers. That shock of electricity went through her skin, and she knew if she touched him, her decision of leaving would be that much harder.

Distance was key in order for her not to crumble to the floor for Edward.

"I think you should stay," he whispered, leaning closer to her still body.

Bella sighed. He wasn't laying off the subject. "I think you should tell Alice to stop watching my future."

"Well I think that if you stay, maybe she won't have to."

"Well I know that if I do, she won't have to because I won't have a future. I will be wiped off the earth, and that will be the last of Bella Swan."

Edward leaned away, turned off by the seriousness of her situation.

"You don't know my situation. It's worse than what you're thinking. I know things, and I'm apart of things that are way beyond you and me."

"I can protect you." He was serious again. "We can—"

"We can do nothing. You can't protect me, or yourself. It's too big, and out of hand. It's easier for me to stay with them, and try and get back to a position where I can lay low. Then I can think things over."

"But they still won't let you leave. What kind of organization is it? What are they planning—"

"Anyway," Bella cut him off at the right spot. "I need to get some sleep. I'm pretty tired. Getting beat up by two vampires in one day does a lot to a hybrid."

Edward still couldn't believe what her day had been like, and he didn't think he would ever be able to forgive his brother. But he knew he would, because Jasper wasn't as used to their diet as everyone else. It was a slip up…one that couldn't happen again.

"Good night Edward." She took a step away from him, and turned for the door.

Edward got the last word in though.

"I'll be watching you, Bella. Don't get any ideas. I still don't believe that you have to leave."

Bella pretended she didn't hear him. She was definitely leaving in the morning, and not even Edward could stop her.

Which sucked.

**7am**

"I just thought I'd go for a drive. Can't I borrow a car?" Bella knew it was a long shot. She was sure Carlisle had strict instructions from Edward not to give in to her, but she had to try.

And when he sighed, and nodded, Bella was taken back.

"Really? That's it?"

Carlisle nodded. "Edward won't get it through his head that you don't want to be here. I can see clearly though, so take my car." He jingled a set of keys in front of her face, to which Bella slowly took from him.

She wasn't sure why his words bothered her so much, but they just did. They were two sided. She _did_ want to be here, but in a different circumstance, or in another lifetime. It wasn't possible _now_.

"I'd hurry though," Carlisle nodded over to the stairs, where Edward would surely be coming down soon. "He takes quick showers."

He didn't have to tell Bella twice. She turned her back on him like he was nothing more than a stranger, and before she could talk herself out of anything, she was running down the driveway, jumping into his car, and putting the stick into reverse.

It was Bella's second time leaving the loving family that had taken her in, but this time, she knew what she was getting into.

Or did she?

-x-

**Recap: **Bella has to go back to her group because she would feel guilty if Victoria was killed because of her, and also, Bella has no choice otherwise.

Bella also came clean with Edward, they learned a lot about each other, and Edward pretty much knows what Bella is by now. (like her abilities, and what not). He still doesn't really know the extent of what Bella is apart of ( i.e the 12.21.12 plan.)

**A/N: **Sorry for the late update. I had some eye issues. They were really fucking itchy. I didn't know what was going on…it was sick. Sorry for telling you this too…

**Song: She's Leaving Home by The Beatles**


	11. The Galway Girl

**Disclaimer:** SM owns the Twilight stuff. I own the non-Twilight stuff. So there.

**A/N: **Sorry it took a fuck load and a half to get this chapter out for you. And I am apologizing beforehand for the lame beginning to this chapter. I'm just trying to set the mood…haha.

**Chapter 11: **The Galway Girl

_We're halfway there when the rain came down- Steve Earle_

-x-

**Dec 20th, 2012 **

**One day before the end of the world…**

Darkness was coming over half the world. But that didn't mean the nightfall brought happy dreams, and sleeping humans.

Quite the opposite, in fact.

A rumour was whirling across the globe, casting its frightful spell on the neurotic and superstitious souls.

Instead of relaxing with a novel under the dusk of the night, or enjoying what could be a final night with loved ones, chaos erupted.

In Atlantic Canada, PEI islanders swarmed the Confederation Bridge, while the brave waited it out on the forty-five minute long fairy rides to the shores of Nova Scotia.

In Los Angeles, California, rush hour traffic was normal for five o'clock in the afternoon, except this time, the hustle and bustle of angry drivers had nothing to do with getting home for supper.

In the desert lands of Australia, researchers called it quits and gathered their equipment off the outback to reside to nearby towns for shelter.

In New Delhi, India, two large families call off their Hindu wedding, and escape to a safe area to practice their worship, as it is above them to what their fate holds.

In a small town of the Netherlands, one hybrid stands amongst a crowd of panicked humans, feigning a mask of ease, even though her heart is cracking in half.

But it wasn't because there was a possibility she might not survive the Apocalypse. It was because while she was standing, listening to the rumour of an end that she knew was on its way, she couldn't help thinking about the family a continent away, sitting in a small town called Forks.

**Forks, Washington.**

**8pm**

"_An age old myth is proving to be quite the case of panic here this evening," _the news castor spoke in a monotone, giving emphasis to nothing. _"Thousands across the country are choosing to stay inside tonight, waiting out what could be the beginning of the end. But of course, even amongst the hype, an alarming amount of people are choosing not to find shelter, believing that the myth is just that. _

"_Is the 2012 Apocalypse just a tall tale, or should we be preparing for the worst? That's the question of the evening, and if you find yourself caught up in the hype of the next several hours, ask yourself this; is taking caution for your family really that much of a task or— "_

"Guess we know what he thinks." Jasper flicked the TV off, and left the living room that his family were currently lounging around in. He was still in disbelief of the whole situation, and listening to a human telling him to take precautions pissed him off.

"Do you believe it?" Rosalie turned to the leader of her coven, who always had the answers. But as she stared at the worried look coming across his face, instead of finding comfort, something else crept up on her.

She was nervous.

Rosalie Hale was nervous. That said a lot about the situation the family, and the world, was dealing with.

Carlisle couldn't answer his daughter. He wasn't sure what to believe.

Alice could though. "Of course it's true. Haven't you ever heard the myths before?"

"Exactly. _Myths,_" Rosalie spat back, but Alice was already rolling her eyes and arguing back.

"No. I see it happening. Everything; hurricanes, earth quakes, and unexplainable explosions. It's not something to take lightly."

"All on one day?" Esme was sitting on the edge of the couch, wide eyed at what she was hearing. The thought of all this destruction was getting to her. It meant terrible things were in for the human race and even their kind.

It was going to be a new day of age.

"It will be a span…but it's starting on the 21st. I see high temperatures and lots of fires first, then come the earthquakes, and the moon will change the tides, which will cause the water levels to rise and fall randomly, creating_—_"

"Holy shit Alice! Get to the part where we die or not!" Emmett wringed his hands through his dark hair, and closed his eyes to regain his composure.

Silence took over the room when Alice closed her eyes and took a look into the future. Everyone was scared; civilization had to start to come to an end at some point, but did that mean the same thing for them?

Then Alice saw what she was looking for.

A vision of her family cramped up in their basement, waiting out a terrible storm, came behind her eyelids.

Alice smiled in relief. "We're going to be fine," Alice shrugged. "It's going to be bad, but it's not as bad as the world thinks it's going to be."

Esme let out a breath of relief, and Carlisle rubbed her back soothingly.

Rosalie stood up and grabbed onto Emmett's hand, but before dragging him out of the room, she still had one more question.

"Alice…what about…" She couldn't bring herself to say the hybrid's name, so she changed her question at the last minute. "Alice what do we do until then?"

Alice made eye contact with Rosalie. "The only way _anyone—_ human, vampire, or _hybrid —_can survive this thing is to hide. We need to bunker down, and just wait it out for the first week."

It was all true. The ones that prepared for the worst, survived the worst. And the ones that took the myth as a myth…they wouldn't live to see much more of the earth.

"And what does that mean for Bella?" Edward appeared at the opening of the living room, leaning on the threshold.

All eyes fell onto his dark glare, and his hardened jaw line.

Rosalie sighed, and rolled her eyes in frustration at her brother. Living with him these past couple months had been unbearable, and it was bound to get worse.

Edward turned his glare at Rosalie, and held himself back from trashing the room in frustration. He hated how his family could sit so calmly and discuss Bella.

It had been three months since he had seen Bella, and there wasn't a day he regretted not chasing after her. He should have ignored Carlisle's pleas to give her room, and instead, make her see what she was doing was dangerously wrong.

But that didn't happen. And now, he had to live with himself with this fact everyday, and hope that maybe somehow he will have the chance to find her.

"I can't see much of her Edward. It's just the same scenario I always see," Alice sighed. "Nothing has changed."

"Which is?" He knew the same scene Alice always described to him, but it comforted him to see it replayed over and over again.

Alice sighed lowly, but gave him his wish. She slowly closed her eyes, and looked into the future.

The images played behind her eyelids like a soundless movie, and Alice had to concentrate even harder when she saw what Edward was looking for.

_It's twilight in a chilly dessert. Bella walks alone in the dark, shivering, while looking seemingly content._

"Okay that's enough." Edward closed his eyes and swore under his breath. The vision, although a bit vague, brought hope.

"It will be alright…" Alice whispered. "At first it's going to be rough…but it will be fine."

Her words didn't bring comfort to the family though because she couldn't exactly back this up with proof.

The future was blurry, and that wasn't a good thing.

_**December 21st, 2012**_

_**Galway, Ireland. **_

The temperature was mild_—_too mild for December.

That was one clue that the 2012 theory was in the works. Another clue was the storm clouds brewing over the shores of the peninsula, with rain pelting the docks of the old boatyard, and high winds tipping over even the largest of the berthed sail boats.

And it was here, at Pier 22, that Victoria was to meet her long time pal, and partner in crime, Bella.

But that didn't happen.

Victoria stared into the harbour, killing time, and while she waited for Bella, she thought about all the heartache she had gone through to get to this point in her existence.

December 21st, 2012 had finally rolled around, and this was the time for her to start feeling something other than guilt and pain in her life.

Nothing had changed though.

She had stuck with the organization, even through the tough times, and even when temptation called for her to run from it, she closed her eyes, and pretended it didn't exist.

But it _did_ exist.

And it was here at the Pier, while she stared at the foolish fisherman trying to tie down a thirty foot boat, that she realized she would no longer be ignoring it.

She didn't want to take over the world when human kind was at its weak point. She didn't want to live under constant scrutiny. She didn't want to be evil…

She wanted to help the humans. She wanted to get through the rough patch of the Apocalypse like everyone else, instead of plotting revenge.

She didn't want to be a member of The Guard…she never did.

"What am I doing here?" she whispered to herself through the down pour of the rain around her.

"Good question."

Victoria twirled around to find James standing before her. He was peering at her through the rain with a questioning look on his face, accusing her of doing something wrong.

"I'm meeting Bella here. So we can get started bunking down with everyone else for the worse of it_—_"

"Fuck off with the lies…" He looked over his shoulder and motioned his finger for two other men to come out from behind a building.

Correction. Two _vampires._

Victoria took a step back, already not liking where this was going.

"You've been crafty these past couple months." The two vampires were now beside him, keeping eye contact with Victoria while James spoke. "You talked Bella into slipping away with you…yet we all know how well that worked out. Remember?"

Victoria pulled her gaze to the ground, reminding herself to keep calm, and not let what he was telling her torment her.

But it was.

The memory of finding Bella at the gas station, and telling her to run came back to her, and it was at this point that she was reminded why Bella had even more scars on her arms now…for being caught, and having to return to face the consequences of straying.

"You're the one getting little Bella into trouble. If you weren't around, she wouldn't have these temptations to run, and then have to deal with the consequences."

Victoria couldn't keep her lips shut much longer. "_Little_ Bella can take care of herself. And she knows this. Maybe that's why she keeps slipping away…this place is too small for someone like her. She can do better."

James laughed. "See? You're the one who's planting the seed of doubt in her head. And that's why you're planning on leaving again_—_"

"Says who?" Victoria straightened her stance. "We wouldn't leave now—amongst all this!" Victoria motioned to the sky that was spilling rain all over the three vampires. "Did you forget that we haven't seen the worst of it yet, and that taking cover is the best that we can do right now? We have nowhere to go James. Don't be stupid."

The rain pelted the docks, leaving a thin layer of water on top, while overhead, the sky turned a nasty shade of black.

Victoria craned her neck to watch the sky transform into something evil. And it was while she watched the turning clouds, imagining not having to deal with the life she was living, that she was put out of her misery.

-x-

Bella only had a grey sweatshirt for protection from the rain, and so far, it was providing the perfect home for rain droplets to soak into.

She was already drenched from the rain, and it was just going to get worse as the day went on.

Bella groaned.

Just thinking about what she was in store for made her feel sick. She was to meet Victoria at the Pier, and then they were to get back to Italy to wait out the worst of what was to come.

Bella covered her face and held in a growl. She hated thinking about Italy, and what it meant. It meant that she was still apart of The Guard, and that she was as spineless as ever.

Bella closed her eyes and thought about the day she returned to Italy.

"_He's really upset Bella." Demetri gave her a meaningful look. He was actually scared for her well being._

"_It's OK. I can take it." Bella gave a half smile, but it quickly fell off her face when the door to Aro's office opened, and her name was called for her to enter._

_Bella swore under her breath. "If he kills me, make sure to thank him."_

"_Don't fucking say that." He pushed her towards the door. "Just get it over with." _

_Bella groaned and walked into the room hesitantly, and when she saw his glowing eyes in the darkness, she regretted closing the door behind her._

The howling wind brought her back to her reality where she survived the beatings, and was given a second chance— even though she didn't want it.

Death would be so much easier than the life she was living.

Bella shivered when a gust of wind and rain came at her from behind, which forced her to duck under the shelter of a gazebo of a harbour side café. It didn't offer too much protection from the harsh storm, but a rustic looking picnic table gave her a place to sit and stare out into the perfect view of the harbour.

And it was in this harbour, on Pier 22 to be exact, that Bella noticed the all too familiar blazing red head staring up at the sky, unaware of the sudden approach by two male vampires.

Instinctively, Bella screamed out to her friend. "Victoria run—" she cut herself off when she saw her friends head ripped from her torso, her body falling to the ground.

Bella shut her eyes, and turned to run. Her legs pumped her through the rain, but because she was scared, she couldn't run away as fast as she wanted to.

And that's why James caught her around the waist when she turned a corner, creating a solid trap with his arms.

She was pinned in an instant, and Bella knew Victoria's fate was about to become her own. Maybe that wasn't such a bad thing…

"How could you do that!" Bella screamed. She was glad that the rain was coming down hard on her face, masking the tears streaming down her face.

James didn't even answer her. Instead, he gripped her neck and began to tighten the hold on it.

He was going to kill her.

Bella felt the air being trapped in her throat, creating a blockage from her being able to take in oxygen. Her eyes started to see black spots, and it was painfully blurry.

It was just slow, and he was taking his time with her. Or at least it seemed that way.

She had maybe ten seconds left of holding her breath, and that's when another vampire made himself known, catching James off guard.

Bella gasped when James dropped his hand from her throat, and without even meaning to, Bella fell to the ground when she took in a breath of air.

"Get up." Demetri gripped her upper arm, and yanked her to her feet, but when she found her footing again, he didn't let her go.

As uneasy as she should have felt, she felt better now that he was here. He sometimes had a conscious, and he wouldn't do away with her like other vampires would.

But it wasn't like she had the will to live anyway, so it really didn't matter.

"Demetri, who sent you?" James asked in between wiping the rain from his face. He was clearly upset that Demetri interrupted his strangling session with Bella.

"No one. I'm just gathering the groups up, making sure everyone is doing what they need to be doing." He griped Bella's arm tighter, which hurt, but she didn't make any movements to get away.

"Well we have a problem." James nodded over to Bella. "She's a snake. Her and Victoria were trying to get away, and they were helping some humans over on the docks back there."

Bella kept eye contact with James as he spoke, and though he was telling the biggest lie she had ever heard, she didn't speak up.

That's because she didn't give a shit if Demetri believed him. She was done living. She was done with this group. It had taken her best friend, and that meant she no longer had the will to do anything.

"Is this true?" Demetri shook Bella, but she kept still, and stared through James, piercing him with her eyes.

"Of course it's true, and it's my word over hers anyway—yours too for that matter. That means she needs to be killed like the other one."

"And why's that?" He dropped his hold on Bella's arm, and crossed his arms.

"Demetri I don't think you understand the seriousness of this situation." James motioned the two vampires who were lingering behind him forward, which gave a clear message to Demetri. "It's kill or be killed, and if you're not on our side, you're on theirs." James pointed to Bella, who was keeping her eyes in line with James'.

"I realize this. But I don't understand what you are saying."

"Kill her, and prove to me that you haven't flip-flopped." James pulled his gaze away from Bella's, and looked into Demetri's red eyes. "I know you two never got along that well anyway, but who knows where you stand now. Let's just be sure."

Demetri nodded.

Bella's eyes widened. She couldn't believe he was actually going to take his orders.

Yet she didn't voice her opinion on the matter. All she did was turn her glare from James onto Demetri, and when he looked into her eyes, she saw the dead look in his eyes…the kind of look you needed to get a tough job done.

She knew he was in the mindset to kill now. Bella sighed, and shook her head at him. "I always knew you were an asshole, Demetri."

Demetri ignored her words, and advanced on her, taking slow steps to slow down the process.

This gave Bella more time to say her last words. "Well…I don't have anything more to say to you Demetri…but James…" Bella pulled her hand out from the pocket of her soaked hoodie, and held up her middle finger to James, all the while keeping a solid smirk on her face.

"Kill her now please." James ordered.

Demetri didn't second guess his decision, and without even breaking a stride, he jumped forward and snapped the hybrid's neck.

-x-

**Recap: **This chapter started 3 months later, in case you're confused by that. And Edward didn't run after Bella because Carlisle convinced him that she needed space. But Edward still has this hope that he will see her again, especially since Alice sees that she is still alive somewhere when they are in the living room.

Victoria was killed in this Chapter. She is dead. Gone. No coming back.

How do you feel about that?

I don't know what else to say…ask some questions in your review.

**Song: The Galway Girl by Steve Earle**


	12. Hey Jude

**Disclaimer:** SM owns Twilight. I own '12.21.12'.

**A/N: **Long chapter because it took me forever to update. Please review. Please! I feel like I haven't heard from anyone in awhile.

**Chapter 12: Hey Jude**

_Remember to let her into your heart,  
Then you can start to make it better. – The Beatles._

-x-

Forks, Washington was experiencing sunny skies, which was abnormal considering the forecast for December was usually slush, slush and more slush.

But then again, it was the year 2012. Anything was possible.

That's why Alice didn't question the heat when she stepped outside, and squinted her eyes at the sun, which probably would do damage to a human, but not to her.

Or would it? The heat was strangely hot. Too hot.

Was the world really going to end in fire?

It looked that way.

Alice closed her eyes and searched her mind for the future. It was extremely jumpy today. She saw everything from billions being killed in floods over seas, to an insane heat wave killing more people on this side of the world. But nothing threw her off more when her mind accidentally crossed over one hybrids neck breaking like a twig.

Alice's eyes shot open when the fear raked through her stomach, chasing away the image of a very dead Bella.

Was this a mistake? Why was Bella in that state, and why did Alice have this feeling that this time it was worse than it looked? Alice had to remind herself that Bella was a hybrid, and that meant she could handle herself like a vampire…but that sometimes wasn't the case for her. Bella was more fragile than a vampire, and on any given day she could perish if she wasn't careful around the ever changing environment.

Especially this year.

Alice took a step off the deck of her home in Forks, and took deep breaths to try and rid the guilty feeling that was forming deep in her gut. She felt emotional all the sudden, and she couldn't do anything about it because she couldn't prevent what her vision told her.

No one knew where Bella had disappeared to.

A twig snapped suddenly, removing Alice's thoughts away from Bella, and transferring them onto the figure standing on the edge of the forest line, who was gazing questionably at her.

Alice tried not to think about what she had just seen for _his_ sake, but her body was shaking with the possibility of a certain hybrid not coming out of the dark. Alice knew she had failed from hiding her mind from him when she saw the look on his face turn from concern to absolute agony.

"Edward she might still—" Alice stopped herself when Edward turned his back on her and sprinted into the forest, away from the Cullen home.

It was useless for Alice to chase after him. Edward had seen the kill, and now, he was probably assuming the worst had finally happened for Bella.

She was dead. No one could prove otherwise. Edward's reason for staying alive, and trying to live day to day, was no longer around…and that's why he ran.

He needed to get away…and away was where he went.

-x-

**December 22, 2012**

The girl didn't know where she was.

She appeared to be in a warehouse, full of huge shipping containers, and rusted walls that dripped from the moisture seeping in from the outside.

Everything was unfamiliar. She didn't recognize one person around her, and she didn't understand their state. Too many people looked scared, too many people were crying, and too many people were screaming.

The only thing she was sure of was that her ears hurt from all the noise around her. Piercing high screeching sounds were making her ear drums ring and ring, which irritated the shit out of her.

Now she was angry, a little scared too, but mostly angry.

A tap on her shoulder took the girl out of her dazed and confused state. She turned questionably to see a woman with bright red hair and lots of wrinkles standing in front of her. The clipboard and pen didn't go unnoticed in her hand.

"Miss are you getting into the container or are you staying here?" she had an Irish accent, and for some strange reason, this woman's hair reminded the girl of someone. The way it seemed to shine even in the dark was mesmerizing.

The girl shook her head free from the thoughts that were trying to force their way back into her head, and instead, tried to get some answers from this woman.

"Why would I want to get into a container with people I don't even know? I'm not an idiot."

The woman actually laughed at her.

The girl stared in disbelief at the woman, all the while telling herself that strangling her would not get her memory back.

"I'm sorry, I don't know why I laughed." The woman controlled herself, and pointed towards the ten people lining up to get into a shipping container. "You'll want to get into there if you want to go abroad."

"Abroad?"

"Yes. They say the States is getting the least of it right now. Lucky bastards."

The girl blinked, and stared straight into the woman's eyes. She had no idea what she was talking about, and why everyone around her seemed to be in a panic state of mind. "Least of what?"

The woman was now the one staring in disbelief. "Have you not been outside in the past two days? Hurricanes are headed this way, and this side of the world will be under water in no time with the floods and all—"

"What are you talking about?" The girl was now starting to panic like the people around her. "I'm not going onto a boat if that's the case."

"I would if I were you," a low voice said behind her.

The girl turned around to face the young man that had interrupted her. He had dark hair, a pale face, and red eyes. She knew that meant something, but it wouldn't be brought to her mind at that moment. And the fact that he was grinning hugely at her was reminding her of something else. Did she know him, and what was so funny?

"If you want to stay and die, be my guest. But if that was the case, I would have finished you off in front of James. Don't be stupid Bella."

_Bella._

It felt like she was struck by a truck next. Of course she wasn't, but the force of everything coming back to her at once made her stumble back, putting a few feet between her and…_Demetri_.

"Feeling better?" He actually smirked at her, enjoying watching her recollect herself after her short period of being lost in the world. He liked having fun at her expense.

"You're an asshole." Bella punched him in the face, and her hand didn't even break from punching a granite hard jaw. She was angry, and she had enough adrenaline running through her now to kill him. "You nearly killed me—"

"Key word being _nearly_." He took a step to get around her, but she stepped in front of him to prevent him from moving away. He grinned, but she didn't grin back. "What? You think I should have? Believe me, it wasn't easy doing that—"

"Why?" Bella didn't understand how she was still alive, and how he was here, perfectly fine in front of her as well.

"Why what?"

"Why didn't you just finish me off? James will surely have you killed now."

Demetri laughed. "I was supposed to finish you off after James and the others left, but as you can see...you're still breathing. I never did like James, and choosing to not finish you off was the final straw I needed to get out of The Guard."

Bella stared off into space. She didn't know what to feel. Everything had happened so out of the blue that day…that _horrible_ day. She sort of wished she was dead. It would be easier not to feel, and not have to go on when there was no one to go on with.

But she didn't tell Demetri this. It wouldn't help. Instead, she tried to change the subject when memories emerged that were making her eyes blink with tears. "What day is this, and what are we doing now?"

"It's the 22nd. You've been knocked out for a bit, but we're still at the Pier." Demetri watched Bella stare off into the distance, trying to recollect her memory of being knocked out cold for a day. He tried to fill in the holes as best he could in order not to piss her off anymore. "We're boarding a ship, illegally if you can't tell…" Demetri nodded over towards the shipping container that was now home to a few scared looking humans, and about three vampires.

"And what will that do? Are you shipping me back to the others where James can finally finish me off?"

Demetri glared into Bella's eyes, noticing for the first time the tears welling up in them. He sighed, and suddenly grabbed onto her arm before she could recoil away from him. "Bella I'm done with that bullshit. It doesn't make sense to take out all the humans. We need them to survive—"

"No you don't, you can hunt animals. But go on," Bella looked over his shoulder at the Irish woman staring at them. The woman then tapped her wrist at an invisible watch, to which Bella held her hand up and gave her the universal hand gesture for 'give me a fucking moment'.

"I don't like living under someone else's orders, especially when I don't believe in them one hundred percent. It was a split second decision to kill you in front of James, and when I saw you lifeless in my arms, I knew I had done something that I shouldn't have. That's when I knew I couldn't stay with the organization and you were my way out, I guess…" his voice trailed towards the end of his speech, and Bella could tell that he felt out of place for telling her so much. They never did get along, and for him to admit that _she_ was something he lost…that was a lot.

Bella should have said something sentimental to make him feel less like an idiot. But she was too touched, and felt too beside herself at the moment to even come up with any speech that could say how grateful she was for his decision to leave and not kill her.

"Now what?" Bella didn't know how heading back to the States was going to help their situation. They still had to survive through the Apocalypse as well, not to mention keeping cover from The Guard.

"I don't know. It's the safest bet to get out of here. Once we hit land, we come up with a new place. Together. We don't have to like each other right now, but we're all each other has."

Bella gulped back the pain this insinuated. Because what he said was true. He literally was all she had left. Victoria, her best friend in the whole world, was no longer at her side, and her family in Forks no longer trusted her, she presumed.

"Anyway…how are you doing?" Demetri pulled Bella out of her thoughts when he noticed she was no longer paying attention to her surroundings. She was in another dimension, staring into nothing.

"I'm not in any pain at all. Everything feels fine." Bella went to shove past him before he could press on, but just when she thought she got far enough, he said it.

"She was your best friend Bella…it's OK to feel something—"

"Are you for real? You're seriously trying to do this right now? We need to get in the crate before they decide to ditch us. I'm not drowning over here." Bella walked into the shipping container before he could get another word in, and instead of arguing further, he walked in behind her.

Bella stared into the eyes of the Irish woman, who stayed outside the container to organize the transfer onto the boat. The woman reminded Bella of Victoria. She had similar red hair, and the way she glared at Bella when she wouldn't stop staring at her was like Déjà vu.

"Everyone, it's going to be rough. There's a bit of food in the back, sleeping bags, and other essentials that we were able to find on such short notice. We'll get out of the harbour in an hour, and we'll avoid the main hurricanes just in time." The woman spoke quickly, then stopped and stared at the vampires of the group, eyeing them, obviously in on their 'not-so-secret' secret, but she chose not to say anything. Her warning glare for them to behave was enough. "See you on the other side." She nodded at Demetri, who in turn nodded back, and with that, the voyage was to begin.

Two men slammed the doors shut, causing Bella to flinch, and when the hinges of the locks were tightly sealed, everyone knew there was no backing out now.

The darkness of the container came next, but instead of being scared, Bella's mind was a million miles away, thinking about how maybe she could start a new life, and not have to be someone she wasn't. Would she ever figure out who she was supposed to be?

This was it. All she had was Demetri now. They would look out for each other, and that was that.

Demetri suddenly shoved Bella's sleeve of her hoodie down past her hand, covering every inch of skin on her left arm.

Bella looked into Demetri's eyes questionably.

"Keep your _mark_ under wraps," he whispered as low as he could, just in case the other vampires were listening in.

"OK, but why?" Bella whispered back.

"Let's just say, it wouldn't help our case if it was known that we used to be apart of _you know what._"

Bella gulped. Maybe starting over wasn't going to be as easy as she thought it was going to be.

-x-

_**March 11th, 2013**_

_**Moab, Utah.**_

Edward still wasn't used to the loneliness that the Utah dessert brought on. Even after three months of living in the dry lands, having to watch the sun go away with the moon replacing it, an eerie feeling would creep up his back and give him a chill that had his teeth nearly chattering.

It was because of Bella. He missed her.

Three months of not knowing. Three months of wandering around, waiting for word of her existence, was hard on him. He needed to see that she was OK, and see that she lived through the epic day where the world was supposed to end. Having to live day to day, away from his family, without a word from Alice on whether anything had changed, really was torturous.

Maybe she did die that day…

Life sucks. Then you die…at least for 5 billion people.

But Edward was one of the one billon people that was smart, stayed out of the environment's way, and found shelter when the worst part of 'the end' came around. Even vampires were at risk, and sometimes, Edward had this feeling that his family might not have survived it.

But Edward shook those feelings off his back. He knew Alice saw the worst coming, and it would be foolish not to bunker down and hide. His family was fine…they had to be.

Edward stared into the fire that was three feet in front of him. It was getting low, and people around him were starting to get chilled from the cold night air. But he didn't get up and put another log in. He didn't feel like moving, or doing anything productive today.

He was lonely. And he didn't even have a reason to feel lonely anymore; he was part of a group that consisted of both humans and vampires alike, working in unison for the same goal of staying alive.

As crazy as that sounded, it had come to work out like that in the end. When the going gets tough, they say to get going. And that's why billions of people died, leaving only a few to come together and form survival groups.

All you have is each other…vampires knew this…humans knew this.

It was the pivotal moment in Edward's existence that he never thought possible. Two teams, once enemies, finally crossed over into one defined organization, thus creating what would later be called _The Resistance_. Race, gender, and specie didn't matter; if you were of the few who survived December 21st, you were in, and if you didn't follow _The Guard's_ beliefs, you were definitely in.

The Guard were still up and strong, and it was The Resistance's last chance to stick together to stay safe, and stay alive.

And that's how Edward came to find himself traveling across the country with these people. It had all happened out of the blue. One moment, Edward was wandering around, never more lost and confused, missing a piece of himself that was no where to be found, and at this weak point, he came across travelers who spoke of a new beginning.

This new beginning was _The Resistance_, and if it wasn't for this group of loner misfits, he would either be off alone, hiding under a rock, or probably dead.

He didn't know what was worse…dying and being alone seemed to run hand in hand these days. But he wasn't alone, not anymore. Yet on days like today, where he didn't know if his family was okay…or Bella, he sure felt like he had no one to lean on.

Edward was taken out of his thoughts when he felt like a set of eyes were on him. He didn't need to shift around to see the pure blue eyes on his gold ones; he simply lifted his gaze to the girl who was sitting across the fire from him.

He cocked an eyebrow at her when she didn't avert her gaze away from his.

"Your name's Edward, right?" The human girl was probably in her late teens, maybe early twenties. She was pretty, sort of, if you looked hard enough. She had nice eyes at least, but her hair was too dark, and cut too harshly.

Edward looked away from her eyes, and stared back into the fire. He didn't feel like playing twenty questions with a girl who already knew the answers. Plus, her mind was boring; she seemed turned off to the world. Maybe they had that in common.

"Ok well…if you're going to be like that, I'll do all the talking." She crossed her legs and then stared into the fire with him. She didn't know what he found so intriguing about the flames, but maybe if she stared hard enough, the answer would pop up in front of her.

Nothing happened though, so she chose to try a conversation again. "You have really sad eyes," she told him, hoping to get his attention.

It worked.

Edward lifted his head up slightly, keeping those sad eyes in place, and simply stared at her again.

The girl chuckled. "Well you do…" she trailed when she didn't know what else to say.

Edward decided to humour her. "And why wouldn't I have sad eyes?"

The girl stared blankly at him, feeling a little stumped.

Edward turned back to his fire, forgetting that the girl was even sitting across from him. It was only him, his thoughts and the fire tonight. Everything else he could block out.

Except for this girl's voice. She wasn't giving up.

"_I_ don't have sad eyes." Her statement was true, and Edward had to admit to himself when he looked back into her eyes, sure enough, they had a lightness to them. They weren't exactly happy, but to say they looked sad would be wrong.

He didn't say anything though. Ignoring her was his plan now.

"And you know what?" She was still pressing on though, and Edward cringed on the inside as she spoke. "Just because you think you have it hard does not give you a reason to put on those 'Bambi's-mom-getting-shot' eyes."

Edward looked up at her again, only because he felt he had to while she ripped into him.

"I lost my whole family in the fires, as I'm sure everyone else here has as well. But do you see them moping around like you? No. Because we're all we have left. It's one big boat, you're in it, I'm in it…just stop being so damn depressed."

Back to the fire it was for Edward's doe eyes. She had burnt him to a crisp with her words, all because he knew it was true. The twenty or so people around him, pitching up tents, building fires, and cooking food, were all doing it with a sense of ease. They weren't cursing out the world, feeling sorry for themselves…like him.

"I'm sorry…" The girl covered her face with her hands.

Edward finally gave in. "No. You're right. I'm an asshole. I should be helping more. The other vampires are helping, and I haven't done much of anything these past couple weeks," he admitted.

Silence came over them. Edward was grateful for it…until she had to open her mouth again.

"My name's Jude, short for Judy, but no one calls me that, so don't go calling me that."

Edward chuckled. A real one too. He found her humorous, in a way. "My name is Edward. Short for Edward Cullen."

She laughed. Edward smiled.

He smiled? He hadn't smiled since before Bella left. That was six months ago.

"Well it's nice to finally get to meet you officially, Edward. Maybe now you won't be such a loner, and, oh I don't know, start living?"

Edward nodded. "Sure." He knew that was a lie though. He couldn't live without Bella…

"You're lying." She read him like a book. The way he couldn't look her in the eye told her this.

"Maybe."

"No, you are." She leaned forward, caught his eyes, and perched her chin in her hands, with her elbow sitting on her knee. "Why can't you live?" She stared at him, waiting for the answer to pop into her mind, and when it did, she spoke her mind. "Lose someone you love?" She knew she hit a nerve when his eyes darkened over. Maybe she shouldn't head into those dark waters…but frig, she found him interesting. "Come on…what was her name?

"Is. _Is_ her name," Edward corrected. "And I'm not in love with anybody."

"You know what, I was wrong about those sad eyes of yours. Those aren't 'Bambi's-mom-getting-killed' eyes, those are 'I'll-never-let-go-Jack' eyes. You get what I'm referencing to?"

"Titanic. And you're not making sense."

"Yes. I am. Rose let go of Jack, in the end, because she had to. Did someone do that to you? You're Jack…now tell me, who was your Rose?"

"Please leave me alone." Edward covered his face with his hands and tried not to growl into them. His temper was coming around, and getting upset over a conversation that was going nowhere was pointless.

But this conversation was going somewhere. It was headed from the beginning into untouched surfaces that Edward didn't like to admit were visible. It was the eggshells of his thoughts, and this girl coming around, poking and prying, making assumptions, wasn't helping him.

"I just wanted to make you see…I lost someone I loved…well could have loved. And he didn't know it, and I didn't know it either. But maybe if I hadn't have been so foolish, and just admitted it to myself and him, he'd be at my side right now, and I wouldn't have to be talking to you right now."

Edward felt worse then. This girl was strong when it came to surviving tough stuff. He had over looked her in the beginning, but here she was, unaffected by her losses. It made him look weak in comparison.

"My situation was the same…but she isn't dead…she's just not around, that's all."

And that's all he was willing to say about the girl that got away.

Except she wasn't as far away as he thought…

-x-

_**March 12th, 2013. **_

_**11am.**_

**Moab, Utah. _Canyonlands National Park._**

Bella fell onto her hands and knees, the dusty sand instantly sticking into the sweaty folds of her skin, coating her until she was nearly unrecognizable.

"You look good with a tan. Maybe you should roll around in the dirt more often." Demetri kicked the air near Bella, dusting her with more dry dirt. It was all that was around them. Well, that and the far away canyons that looked like red castles.

"I just want to die…" Bella couldn't take the heat of the day. She would give everything she had for a sip of water. It was almost funny how they had nearly died to get on the other side of the world, where in the end, water was what they needed.

Drowning seemed like the better option to Bella, and she sort of wished she took it three months ago.

But then again, she was in the Utah desert lands, and maybe she was delusional from dehydration, and not having a scrap of food in over two weeks.

"Bella I don't know what to tell you, but you need to get off your ass, and keep moving."

"No shit." Bella slowly tried to scrape herself off the ground, but her muscles turned to mush, and her face was back on the sandy dirt, sticking onto the sweat that coated her skin.

Demetri swore, and covered his face with his hands. Bella was at risk not only because she hadn't eaten in weeks, but because _he_ hadn't either. He couldn't go near her, and lift her up from the ground. Closing in on her now would only make him go mad from his thirst.

"Bella I don't know what to do," he whispered, trying not to breathe in her scent. His dark eyes were giving away his thirst for her, and if he didn't put a little more distance in between himself and her, he might just give into his instincts to kill. He had never gone this long without human blood.

"Demetri…maybe you could just go on and find some help—"

"Stop it. I'm not leaving you here. I can't do that."

Bella closed her eyes. She felt defeated. The sweat was pouring over the dirt on her face, her stomach was hollow, her bones ached, and her muscles felt like they were going to rip in half.

Demetri stared down at her, feeling helpless. She was so white, and her body looked thinner than ever. If she didn't get water, or a piece of food soon, it would be dehydration or lack of nourishment that killed her in the end.

And_ that_ she couldn't come back from.

"Bella what should I do?" he whispered.

He knew what he had to do. The only option now was to find this group that was supposedly pitching up camp near by, and get _them_ to _her_. The rumours of their existence had to be true…or else they were pointlessly wandering around.

"You know what you have to do, and if you don't, you'll kill us both." Bella had flipped onto her back, and was now staring deep into his dark thirsty eyes.

Demetri swallowed the pool of venom in his throat, and nodded before turning his back on her. "Bella someone will be back for you tonight. I promise that. Just stay here, and keep breathing," Demetri said this while he walked forward into the distance, not wanting to look back at a broken down hybrid that he could take advantage of at any given moment if he didn't get away from her.

"I trust you," Bella whispered. "Just hurry the fuck up."

Demetri picked up his pace, and before long, the next time he looked over his shoulder, there was enough distance behind him that he could no longer see the hybrid lying on the ground.

"Hold on Bella…" he whispered, "just hold on."

_**5pm (Six hours later)**_

Mike Newton was someone who saw himself as a higher status over everyone else at the camp. That's why he made himself head leader of the hunting party, choosing when the group went out to hunt, where the group went out to hunt, and who was part of the hunting group.

Edward did not like Mike Newton, nor did he care when he was not chosen to take up in the hunting session before dark. Two other vampires were chosen, alongside two other humans, with Mike as the leader. Edward felt glad that he could continue to stare into his fire like he had the night before, and the night before that. It was easier to feel pity for himself than to hunt for animals that were very scarce as it was.

"Ladies, while _us men_ are gone, maybe you could start boiling water, or scavenge for some edible plants near the river." Mike's sexist comments were a common thing in the camp, and most of the young girls and women chose to ignore him.

Except for Jude. She couldn't take any of his pigheadedness. "Or, we could switch positions, and let us have a hand at hunting. I bet we'd actually come back with something, unlike your hunting party these past couple nights."

Edward laughed, and looked up at Mike Newton to fully take in the angry expression forming across his face. Edward was enjoying every minute of it.

Then Mike switched his angry glare onto Edward, to which Edward gave a much more intimidating glare back.

Mike swallowed, and stumbled for words. "Well Edward, since you find our job so humorous, why don't _you_ come along and find out that it's not such a walk in the park after all."

Edward stood. "Okay Newton. I think I'd like that. I'm sure everyone here at camp would like to eat tonight."

Jude nodded. "Heck yes."

Mike never thought he'd take up his offer, but he had to allow him to come anyway. "Fine. Let's leave then. Don't get in our way, though. I was head in archery in high school, and I was number one on the badminton team. I am very good at what I do."

"Which isn't much, considering you're an eighteen-year-old _boy_, with nothing to contribute to a resistance against _vampires_."

Mike pretended he didn't hear Edward, and walked off into the direction where the river was, which offered a bit of hope of finding live game.

The rest followed.

And that was that. The sun was just heading below the canyons, making room for twilight to come into action.

Edward loved twilight, and while he walked with his new hunting party towards the higher parts of the canyons, he couldn't help but remembering all the times he could have experienced nights like tonight with a certain hybrid.

**8pm**

Demetri had been traveling for too long not to come across _anything_. It was frustrating knowing that Bella's life depended on him…_again. _

He couldn't fail her…not this time.

And when he finally crossed over a high peak, and dipped into a lower valley, crossing over a river, a stench came into his nostrils, making the venom flow deep into his throat.

_Humans_…he could nearly taste them.

Then he heard a click behind his back, and before he could spin around to face it, a girl's voice was instructing him. "Turn around slowly, and you won't die."

Demetri smiled to himself, but did as he was told. Ever so slightly, he turned his torso, and looked over his back to see a girl with insanely dark hair, and insanely blue eyes, pointing a barrel of a gun at him.

He felt like doing anything she said, just to please her…she was _so_ pretty.

But when she saw his eyes, she lowered the gun. Even with the little moonlight coming through the clouded night sky, the young man's eyes were clearly not human.

Therefore, he was a vampire.

"You're a vampire, yes?" The girl took a step away from him, nervous by the darkness of his eyes, and how the red had nearly been sucked away. She didn't like a loner vampire walking alone in the middle of nowhere. It meant one thing…and that thing wasn't good.

Demetri didn't like that she was frightened of him, although she should be. He wanted her to feel safe, because he truly did not have any evil intentions with her. Bella needed help, and that's all he cared about. "First off, I'm not going to hurt you, but I must warn you, I haven't…_eaten_…in days. You might want to keep your distance."

"Trust me, I will." She shifted uncomfortably. "Now tell me, where are you from, and why are you alone?"

"I wasn't alone. My friend, she needs help. I had to leave her because she's human…and well…you see…" He pointed to his eyes that were darker than the night.

The girl nodded. "I see. But you didn't tell me, where are you from?"

"I'm from overseas. We came here on a boat. We were told about a group called _The Resistance._"

The girl gazed at him questionably. "What's your name?"

"Demetri. And you are?"

"Jude."

"Jude, I'm sorry to sound so needy…but do you know where I can…feed? And my friend—"

"Ok. Fine. You seem legit. But I have to ask…you're not working with _The Guard_, are you? I must ask just to give you a chance not to lie."

Demetri knew if he told her the truth, she would inform the rest of her group, and Bella would be dead. It wasn't smart to tell the truth. Not in this case. "No. I'm just a traveler. My friend is about 10miles south of here…I'm a tracker. She needs help."

"Very well. The camp is around the corner, in that direction." Jude pointed to the right, around a hillside, and then looked back at Demetri. "Hunt on the way, and when you get there, tell them Jude sent you. I'll go find your friend."

"Thank you."

"No problem. I'll see you in a few hours."

**9pm**

Bella had lifted her sore body off the ground after what seemed like hours of lying still. It seemed like Demetri was taking his sweet old time, and she decided that walking a bit of the way wasn't going to hurt.

First the sun went down, then twilight passed, and after that, it was darker than black.

But what shocked Bella more than the frightening darkness was the cold of the desert. She couldn't stop shivering, and her hoodie was barely keeping her warm.

"Just keep walking…keep walking…" Bella whispered to herself, urging her aching legs to keep moving forward.

But her encouraging words did nothing for her sore muscles, and without warning, Bella fell to the ground for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.

But this time, she didn't get up.

-x-

"See anything up there, Cullen?" Mike chuckled, thinking that Edward's lookout position from higher ground was pointless when it came to hunting.

"Not yet, Newton, but I've already caught a bore. What did you catch?" Edward didn't move from atop the higher ledge, but he could hear Mike's thoughts that were cursing him out in every way possible.

Edward smirked. He was finding humour in torturing Mike.

But Edward's smirk was taken quickly off his face when he happened to look down to the left of the canyon, out past hills of dust and dry plants, only to see Jude, walking towards them.

"What's Jude doing here?" Edward jumped down from the ledge, and informed his hunting group of his findings, and not to long after, Jude was ten feet in front of them, breathing heavy.

Edward read her mind while she was catching her breath…and he himself stopped breathing when he recognized the man in her mind that she had spoken to. The one that had ripped Bella from his car, nearly six months ago…

"What happened?" Edward's voice was thick with emotion. He was reading in between the lines already, knowing that he may be finally closer to Bella than imaginable.

"We have guests…well a guest. A vampire traveled here alone, and he says he's not with The Guard. I believe him. But he has a friend that's still stuck out in the desert—"

"Where is she?" Edward didn't even realize he had grabbed onto Jude and shook her by the shoulders until two vampires pried his fingers off of her.

Jude didn't understand his sudden anxiousness. "Chill out. He said she's about 10 miles south from here—"

Edward had turned his back and started running before she could even finish. His heart felt like it had opened up and started beating, and if he didn't get to his hybrid before the desert took her away, she would forever be lost to him.

And that couldn't happen.

-x-

**Recap: **

Demetri did snap Bella's neck (in the last chapter) but when James left, he didn't finish her off. Therefore Bella woke up a day later, perfectly fine. Then Demetri and Bella hopped on a boat, and set sail for the US because it was the safest place to be for the '12.21.12 stuff'. Also, Demetri tells Bella she must hide her tattoo because no one can know that they used to be apart of The Guard.

As for Edward, he left Forks when Alice saw that there was a possibility of Bella dying. Edward doesn't know what he's going after, he just needed to get away, and find himself, and that's when he came across _The Resistance._

Edward also met a girl named Jude in this chapter. Jude is a loner as well, has no other connections to the outside world anymore, and no other relationships. She is laidback, sometimes outspoken, and funny at times. Jude is the one that found Demetri wandering around, and told him to go back to the camp, while she went and informed Edward that there was someone else out in the desert.

Edward of course sees Jude's mind, and recognizes Demetri, and instantly assumes that Bella was with him. He rushes off before he can even get the facts, and is now on the hunt for Bella...who is nearly unconscious from dehydration.

**Song: Hey Jude by The Beatles.**


	13. Here Comes Your Man

**Disclaimer:** Twilight is Stephenie Meyer's.

**Refresher: **In the last chapter, Jude went out and found the boys, who were hunting, and told them there was a human out in the desert. Edward knew who it could be.

**Chapter 13: Here Comes Your Man**

_There is a wait so long._

_You'll never wait so long._

_Here comes your man._

_-The Pixies_

-x-

Jude was shocked when Edward nearly jumped out of is shoes and booked it for the horizon. She didn't expect him to go nuts for the news of a human being out in the desert alone.

"Wait!" she yelled after Edward, who was already running down into the canyon. She didn't know why he had this urge to save this human, but she knew he would need water to do so. "Bring this!" She yanked Mike's water jug out of his unwilling hands, and threw it into the air towards Edward.

Edward turned back around, caught it, and sprinted away in one swift movement, knowing that if he didn't get to there in time, this human would die.

As would he.

-x-

The girl woke up from the blackness of her death, feeling the pain in her stomach, and aches that started in her toes and ended up behind her eyelids. The dehydration and lack of nourishment would kill her every time, but her hybrid abilities, which she wasn't aware of, brought her back to a body that couldn't keep itself alive.

Her body was like an un-oiled machine. It could be the biggest and the baddest machine out there, but without a little oil to keep the joints moving, it would break down. In other words, the girl needed water, and without it, her body would make her relive the experience of death over and over and over again, until it finally stopped.

She didn't need to know where she was, or what was going on to know she was fucked. This was one of those times her hybrid body was doing more wrong than good, and it would be so much easier to die.

Death is easy, but not in this case.

-x-

The moon never looks the same. One night it's high in the sky, round like a circle, and glowing brighter than a flashlight. Then the next night, it's hidden behind clouds of the night, half peeping out, with purple shades darkening the surface.

Edward couldn't ignore the moon tonight. It was high over the canyons, lighting up the ground as he ran over it. He kept eye contact with its fullness, and as sprinted through the night, a sudden feeling of sadness washed over his body. It felt like he could fall to the ground from this heavy feeling of not being enough, and that if he didn't stop in the moment, he would miss something.

His feet slid across the hard dirt ground when his legs suddenly stopped in motion, slowing his whole body to a complete stop. His eyes traced over the night sky, connecting the stars that pointed his eyes towards the moon, which had his mind racing for thoughts.

He thought about how the moon reminded him to think about the vastness of life, and if you didn't find a piece of it to sit next to, you'd lose your place. And his place was Bella; it took being scared of losing her to realize this.

"Where the hell are you Bella?" The wind picked up the moment the words left his mouth, throwing them out into the openness around him, which at the same time, snaked an all too familiar scent up around his face. The scent stabbed him in the throat a million times over, but when his eyes opened wide in the direction the wind was pulling this scent from, it was his heart that was stabbed from the sight before him.

It didn't matter that he was on a rocky steep cliff, over looking the grounds before him. The moment he saw her broken down body, he jumped and soared though the night air, landing on the light of his feet without any trouble. One foot was in front of the other, following a quick rhythm, propelling himself forward faster than he had ever gone.

He stopped abruptly, falling to his knees when Bella's lifeless body came before him too quickly. He hadn't seen her in six months, and this wasn't the type of reunion he had wanted. He had always pictured grabbing her around the waist, swinging her into a hug that he would never let her out of. Seeing her before him right now was bittersweet.

At first, he didn't want to touch her, too nervous that he was already too late. But then, the wind shifted again, and her scent, freesia, mixed with dirt and pain, smacked him in the face, jolting him forward so that his face was two inches from hers.

"Bella…" He leaned in closer so that his lips ghosted over her blue eyelids, trailing down her jaw, until he stopped to listen for her pulse.

Nothing.

Edward took in a jagged breath, taking in the scent of his almost love, and having to soak in the remains of her. He slowly slipped his arms under the frail bones of her knees and back, pulling her onto his lap. She fit perfectly there, like a cradled child, only she didn't have the life of one.

Edward traced his fingertips over her cold skin, waiting for the hybrid that supposedly couldn't die, to come back to him. But her skin was too blue, as were her lips, and a heart beat was non-existent. This wasn't supposed to happen to her.

All he could do was wait and fall to pieces in the mean time. His shoulders shook from the emotions coming within him, unable to keep still as he pressed Bella closer to his chest. And even though he hadn't gotten to her soon enough, and knowing all the agony she probably had gone through, he had to admit that she looked so peaceful in his arms. Not any amount of dirt could hide her innocence and beauty from him. And if he could have one wish at the moment, besides hearing her heart beat, it would be to see her eyes one last time.

Edward's emotions started to shift. The hope and calmness that had consumed him before had been swallowed up the moment it all clicked to him. _Maybe she is dead._ He began to get angry, and his clutch on her tightened, scrunching her shoulders so that they were covered by his.

He didn't want to let her go. He would never.

Edward pressed his face into her hair, breathing her in, filling his mind with the memories of the first time he met her, and how similar it was to this moment. She looked dead, and like before, just as he was about to admit that this might be the end…it wasn't.

She had a pulse. A weak one, but it was still just enough.

"Bella!" Edward opened his eyes just in time to sees Bella's flutter open, and then close just as quick, not to reopen again. Her pulse was starting to get weaker, and Edward knew he had to act fast.

Still holding her in his arms, he reached for the water jug that he had forgotten about until this moment, twisted the cap off, and poured it onto her mouth while encouraging her to drink some.

The water slipped off the side of her face, removing the dried on dirt, and revealing her clear white skin. But she wasn't drinking it in.

"Bella," Edward shook her shoulder a little, pulling her dark hair—which had gotten much longer since he had last seen her—out of her face. "Drink the water Bella. Drink it." He was getting anxious. She was so close yet so far away, and he wasn't going to let dehydration take her from him.

And either was she, apparently. She suddenly choked up the water, spitting it into the air, and onto his face.

Edward blinked it out of his eyes, and when he refocused his vision, Bella was wide eyed and staring at him.

-x-

White light. Darkness. White light. Darkness. White light. Darkness.

This time, the darkness continued.

The girl waited. She didn't know what was going on.

She even opened her eyes a little, only to have the heaviness weigh her down again, bringing back the white light.

She felt relief. Her death was just around the corner. The pain would be gone. She could finally be finished with it all. Maybe then she would have answers.

Then, oddly enough, the light went away, and instead of being taken into another world, she was brought back to the darkness where her mouth felt wet and her throat felt less tight. She didn't have time to question it; her ears were hearing things.

She choked on the cold liquid in her throat when she heard a voice in her head. It was one she didn't recognize of course, but the way it called someone's name—no, her name—over and over again, made her curious. That's why her eyes were wide with shock when she was able to lift them.

She stared at the figure in front of her, a bronze hair boy with frntic eyes, staring into her own.

"Bella." The boy said her name. The girl realized he knew her, but she didn't know him. That scared her, and that's why instead of embracing the vampire she probably missed deep down inside, she followed her instincts instead.

She punched him in the face.

The boy stumbled over onto his elbows, falling over her, and allowing some space for her to finally escape from his clutch.

"Jesus Bella!" the boy cursed at the girl. She didn't like how he was in the know and she was still in the dark. She remembered her name, but Knowing your name and nothing else was nerve racking.

She stared at the boy from her place on the ground, not understanding why he was smirking with devious eyes. She put a fresh glare on her eyes, keeping eye contact with him and the canteen beside him, and finally spoke up. "What's going on?"

Edward realized it then. Just like the night of the accident, she didn't remember anything. This wasn't supposed to be happening right now, and that's why he felt impatient. He was waiting for the reunion of a lifetime, and it couldn't happen if the hybrid of his dreams didn't want anything to do with him.

"Your name is Bella—"

"I know my name for Christ sake! You've said it five hundred times! Try filling in something else!"

"Bella I don't know where to start. You left me and—" he cut himself off, nd threw his hands into his hair. He was so anxious. Just being near her, seeing him in front of her was making him insane. She was alive! Bella was alive!

Bella didn't know why she was so drawn to the boy. There was a huge memory banging in her mind, but it wasn't visible to her. He was a stranger, and that's why she decided it would probably be for the best if she got away from him in the mean time, and found herself before he planted seeds in her brain about what did and didn't happen to her.

She pushed herself off the ground, her legs barely holding her body up. But she needed to put some space between herself and the boy in front of her. She didn't like the way he was staring at her every move—like he owned her or something. And she especially didn't like how attractive she found him. She didn't know him, but if he asked her to stay with him, hell, she didn't know what her answer would be.

"Wait—what are you doing?" he was in front of her before she could even take a step away from him. His speed flickered a memory, but it was too quick to view.

"I don't know what's going on here—"

"Bella calm down," he said, touching her wrist with his fingers.

Just that single touch sent a shock so electrifying and thrilling that it made both Edward and Bella jump.

"Don't touch me." Bella yanked her hand away from him immediately, and back away from him. She was beginning to feel things.

"Bella don't do anything stupid—"

"Don't tell me what to do! You don't know my life," she said, still backing away from him. She stared into his eyes, which were dark and fixed on hers. And the way that he was looking at her, his jaw tight and posture anxious, made her feel just the way.

He reached for her, just to get try and bring back a memory, but Bella didn't take it the right way again. She slapped his hand away, but instead of sticking around to wait for her memory to jog back to her, she turned her back to run from him.

Edward panicked. The sight of Bella running from him only made him realize he couldn't let that happened.

So he jumped her.

He jumped forward, grabbed her around the wasit, and pulled her onto the ground, pinning her under his body.

"Jesus, get the hell off—" she was cut off instantly by his lips slamming into her own. It was shocking…but even more shocking was how she reacted to his angry lips.

She couldn't get enough of him. Her hands ripped into his hair, crushing him harder onto her body while his hands raked every inch of her sides.

And when he pulled away, she realized she missed him already, and longed for this boy.

She grinned at the smile playing across his face when he looked down at her.

"Bella, you came back to me…" he whispered, moving his eyes all over her face to take in every detail of her face.

"Edward…" she smiled, bringing her hands down in front of his chest, feeling every contour there. "Did you seriously just _jump_ me?

Edward shrugged, leaning in again to capture her lips again, but she turned her face so that his lips caught her cheek. He growled. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't," he said lowly, snaking his hand so that it was on her lower back. "But I said I would never let you get away again, and I acted on that."

Bella looked up at him again. "Good. I'm glad," she whispered, closing the distance between his face and her own again.

Everything felt great…except that this reunion didn't satisfy any of their thirsts for each other. Their reunion was clouded by all the questions hanging over their minds for each other, and all the 'what ifs' to get out of the way first, which took away from the reconnection they had both wished for.

Edward separated from Bella first, letting his arms drop from her sides. He could barely let her go, but did anyway.

The he saw the water, and he was about to retrieve the canteen for Bella, but she had already lunged for it first, and began to chug it down. It was like a car getting gas; her tank was full when the last drop was taken out of the jug, and she felt revitalized.

"I needed that," Bella threw the jug on the ground, and took a giant breath, feeling full. The pain that had consumed her before was gone. She no longer felt weak or near death. She could run a mile in a second, and do it twenty times over.

Edward hadn't forgotten how pretty Bella was. But he had forgotten she looked _this_ good. He stared in awe at her, his eyes tracing over her face. He liked the way the moonlight danced over her skin, only highlighting the hard edges of her face, making her look intimidating.

And she really was. She had always been tough and unapproachable. But there was a new edge to her that told him to back away from her, even though he had no intentions to.

Bella felt the uneasiness crawl up over her shoulder when she looked at Edward, whom was busy reading every emotion playing across her own face. She didn't like knowing that he was beginning to wonder about her; she wasn't something to read.

Edward noticed her eyes finding the dirt ground, and chose that moment of awkwardness to break the ice. "Where have you been Bella?"

Bella eyes floated to his, watching the agony play across in his gold eyes. The pit of her stomach dropped; she didn't want to go there.

He noticed her hesitation, but chose to press on. "Bella I thought you were dead."

Bella agreed that this was a reasonable assumption for him to have made. But she wasn't going to tell him that. She wanted to ignore why he would think this; bringing up the past couple mouths only made her remember things that weren't worth space in her head. She played with him instead. "Yeah I sure looked it. Demetri had to leave me here or else—"

"I'm not talking about now. Six months ago—"

"Was six months ago. Leave it at that." She jumped in at the right moment. Bella was not having that conversation with him. It was useless. "Who cares what happened? I don't. Life is supposed to suck." She really did believe this. Finding happiness was not in her cards. That's one thing she had finally learned. "I'm lucky that it put me here, alive, with you of all vampires. It's one thing that's positive." Because she knew she could have it worse, and still be with the other vampires of her past. She cringed, and switched the topic. "Speaking of being here with you…why are you in Utah?" She was on her feet now, as was he, and the atmosphere had turned quickly.

Edward crossed his arms tight across his chest while she ranted, not letting her steer him away from the topic of her running away, without saying anything to him first. "I'm here because I went looking for you. I wouldn't be if you hadn't have left without a word."

She blinked. "I think we should leave it at that then." Bella was angry now, and went to shove past him, but he grabbed her around the waist, his fingers wrapping around her rib cage, holding her in front of him.

"I'm not leaving it—or you." His jaw was tight, and even though he tried not to let his temper come between them, it already had.

Bella shoved him, easily removing his grip from her. "Don't touch me Edward. Believe it or not, I'm sick of being thrown around by vampires." Bella's words seemed to hiss coming out of her mouth, giving them a sting as they burned Edward.

She didn't regret it. Bella needed space. He was cornering her. She felt like she couldn't breathe.

Edward couldn't believe what he was hearing, or what he was looking at. He no longer knew the hybrid standing in front of him. Her guard was up, and he couldn't see over it. "I'm sorry then." He took a step to the side. "The camp is that way." He pointed in the direction, letting her step around him. He didn't say a word when she walked into the night; he would give her some space tonight.

But he was still waiting for that joyous reunion, and he was determined to have it. When the tension died down, he was sure Bella would be comfortable enough to talk.

Or at least he hoped.

-x-

**Recap: **

Edward finds Bella in the desert.

Bella's body keeps dying and coming back to life, but she's too weak to revitalize, and actually move. She needs water, which Edward gives her, and then she's fine and remembers everything.

But on the inside, she is still hurt over what has happened over the last six months. We will learn more about why this is later.

**Song: Here Comes Your Man by The Pixies**


	14. The Climb

**Disclaimer**: Twilight is written by Stephenie Meyer. This story is written by me.

**Last Chapter: **Edward found Bella, they got into a little fight, and now they are on their way to the camp.

**Chapter 14: The Climb**

_Every move I make feels lost, with no direction. –Miley Cyrus_

-x-

"_Demetri…" Bella fell onto her knees, and covered her mouth. Her body felt like it had been shocked by a thousand volts, her muscles falling into jelly. "How can we do this…it's so wrong." Bella's eyes were wide while she watched the vampires in front of her pick up the bodies of a young woman, two children, and man who had failed at protecting his family._

"_The two adults were scientists. They were aware of how serious the 21st is actually going to be. They had to be eliminated before they—"_

"_Oh why didn't you say so! That makes it fine then." Bella leaned forward on the grass of the yard that no longer had owners to mow it, and threw up. _

"_You okay?"_

"_No Demetri. I'm not okay." Bella stood at lightening speed, and turned her back on one of the only vampires she trusted not to stab her in the back. "I'm going to get the fuck out of this one day, and you'd be smart to follow along with me." How many times was she going to say that?_

_Bella was suddenly on the ground, her feet taken out from under her, just as the words left her mouth. A body was holding her down on the grass, pinning her._

"_I'd watch what you say, Miss Bella. You never know who might be listening. Jokes like that might be taken seriously. Especially considering your record." James was off of her in a second, vanishing in the night air, leaving Bella on her back, frozen._

"_You sure you're okay?" Demetri stood over her, arms crossed, a look of concern on his face._

"_I'm not sure of anything."_

_-x-_

"Are you okay?" Edward asked behind Bella, who looked like she was off in another world that wasn't being a welcoming host to her. She had gone a paler color of white, nearly blue, and her arms were wrapped so tightly around her that Edward could see her veins flexing through her skin.

Bella blinked, waking herself up from her star gazing. She was still walking aimlessly down the never ending path of doom, a path that could possible lead her to a better life, or one that was just like her last one. Should she feel better that Edward was next to her, headed to the same fate as her? She didn't, at the moment.

"I don't know." Bella gave Edward a flat answer, and unwound her arms from around her torso. Her sweater seemed damp in the night air, and her jeans were chaffing her skin, which gave her a reason to start complaining. "Actually, I know I'm not okay."

"And why's that?" Edward asked this in a flat voice like Bella, playing the question off as nothing, even though he was dying to know every single thing running through the fibres of Bella's brain.

"_And why's that?_" Bella mocked Edward's tone and dragged her feet on the dirt path to slow the pace down. "Do you really have to ask, Cullen? I have nothing left in my life. _Nothing."_ She shook her head, a panicked chuckle releasing from a forced smile. "Actually, that's a lie! Never mind, I have these jeans!" Bella yanked on the holes that were spreading along the knees of her faded jeans. "And I have these shoes, and this stupid hoodie!" Bella yanked the hood up over her head, tears falling down her cheeks. She stared at the ground, the pace getting quicker, her ears buzzing. "And I stole them from a family I killed. Isn't that great?"

Edward tried not to have a reaction to Bella's forthcoming attitude. He kept a solemn face, and contained a reaction to her statement. But it took a lot not to have one; Bella was crumbling in front of him, playing it off as nothing, and he didn't want to scare her off by saying something wrong.

"Nothing to say? That's unusual. I wish my life were like yours then. While you walked around the crumbling earth with your little friends, I was on the other side of it, making sure enough people stayed on it to be killed. I killed the rumours, and in doing so, I killed billions. Crafty way to do it, eh?"

Bella was losing her mind to her past actions; that's what Edward told himself anyway. He could see the damage that was done to her when he was away, and he'd almost rather not know what she had gone through.

"But I got out, don't worry. Right before that side of the earth was about to wash away, I bailed like a bad little solider, and in doing so, I stripped my name from The Guard permanently."

It was as if Bella had opened up her mind to Edward for a second, letting him in to see her past mess ups. But it was just how well Bella was telling her story, and Edward found it easy and hard to follow along while she broke down her past.

"I'm not on the human's side…because I have killed too many. But I'm not on The Guard's side either. Where does that leave me?" She laughed again, and Edward didn't like hearing it. It was cold and stabbing.

"I have nothing," she whispered.

"You're not the only one who has nothing."

Bella stopped in place, the footsteps behind her halting with hers. She blinked, wondering if she had heard what she thought she had heard. She slowly faced Edward, his eyes staying low to avoid hers. "Excuse me?"

His eyes flickered slightly, but he wasn't brave enough to lift them to hers. "It was the end of the world. You're supposed to have nothing. You're alive. Be grateful for that."

A gush of wind came between them, rustling the bushes, and dead leaves of dried out trees. Bella's hood fell from her face, revealing her wet eyes, and hard jaw.

Edward looked up, a pain hitting him in the gut. Was it regret? Maybe. But he didn't play into it. "Bella I feel sorry for you, my family feels sorry for you, and I'm sure some of your old coven friends feel sorry for you. That means you don't need to feel sorry for _yourself._"

"I don't feel sorry for myself. I don't feel anything at all."

Edward knew that was a lie, but he didn't comment on it. "Then stop complaining. You don't hear me doing it. How do you think I felt when I found out I wasted six months searching for a girl who didn't want me to find her?"

The trees stopped rustling, the wind died down to an absolute calm. The silence between them was loud. And with two hearts in the quiet calm of the night, one doomed to an eternity of silence, one started to beat quite loudly, nearly choking it's owner.

"Can we walk, please? I'm sure they're wondering where we are." Edward motioned with his eyes down the trail.

Bella snapped out of her momentary heart relapse, forgetting the words he had spoken, and realized she was walking into a situation without a plan. "Sure. Just a couple things first." Her mind began to back pedal, remembering what needed to come forward. "We don't know each other." She continued listing them even though Edward looked shocked by the first one. "I'm human. I've never been apart of The Guard. And also, I don't have this tattoo." She shoved her sleeve up to reveal the dark numbers on her wrist.

But Edward wouldn't look at her wrist. He wouldn't even look at her. He was frustrated with the first rule, unable to see why knowing him would be dangerous for her.

Bella pushed her sleeve back down and turned her back to Edward. But before she could get further down the trail, he was in front of her, eyes darker than the night. "I don't understand the first rule. Explain it please."

Bella went to step around him, but he stepped in front of her, lightly touching her wrist with his cold fingers to get her attention. Bella glared at him. "Edward you're being impossible_—_"

"I'm not. There is no reason that we can't say we're from the same family, or if not that, went to the same high school. Something along those lines."

"Why?" Bella cocked an eyebrow at him, and when he didn't answer her, she went to step around him from the other side. But he stepped in front of her again, and this time, trapped her wrist in his hold. Bella saw that he wasn't going to let her go without an explanation, so she gave it to him. "I can't know you because it's easier that way. It's too much of a coincidence."

"But it is a coincidence."

"Either way, no one will believe it, and then they will dig deeper and find out everything about me. And then who knows what they will do_—_"

"Alright fine." He dropped her wrist coldly, but he didn't step out of her way. Instead, he caught her eyes with his to make sure she would hear his next words perfectly. "I don't know you. But that doesn't mean I'll be avoiding you; quite the opposite in fact. Then they can make their own assumptions about why I'm all the sudden taking a liking to you."

Bella formed her mouth into a hard line, thinking this through. It was ridiculous, but she knew this was all she was going to get out of him, so she nodded. "Fine." She stepped around him, and this time he let her go. "But just so you know, Demetri might have a problem with that."

Edward laughed. "And why would Demetri have a problem with me getting to know a human girl?" His voice was light, but Bella could hear the annoyance in it.

Bella smiled to herself. "Because I'm his girlfriend."

Silence.

-x-

The camp was quiet when Edward and Bella stepped into it. But that didn't mean Edward was.

"Bella I think we need to talk about _things,_" he hissed lowly.

"Shut up. There are people over there." Bella nodded over to a fire that was flickering in the distance, where several tents were spread a few meters apart.

"I see your lover boy from here. He's quite the find."

Bella held back her urge to laugh, and quickly covered her mouth to hide a smirk that had played across her lips.

"Well, good luck." Edward's words had a mocking tone to them, but Bella didn't have a chance to question it. He was already walking over to the group, sitting down by the fire, and didn't give her a second look.

Bella stared at the group, feeling frightened and uneasy. Demetri had been watching Bella the entire time, and when she didn't move from her spot, he waved her over.

She finally put one foot in front of the other, and reluctantly came before the group in front of the fire. Besides Edward and Demetri, there was only two other people sitting around the fire, and both were human.

"You must be Bella." A girl with dark hair and scary blue eyes rose from her spot on a log and offered her hand out to Bella. "Demetri has told me all about you. I'm Jude." She smiled warmly. Bella tried to smile back, but her mouth barely formed a half smirk. She shook the human girl's hand anyway.

"Take a seat." Bella glanced at the blonde boy who offered her a seat beside him. "You must be tired." He was friendly enough, but Bella didn't trust the way his eyes lit up as they traced over her. She was about to decline but he reached out and pulled her down beside him.

Bella shoved her arm out from under his and glared at him. The warning look was enough for him to back off, but he still thought he had a chance, and ignored it. He offered his hand to her to shake instead. "I'm Mike."

"Lovely." She ignored his outstretched hand, and spat on the ground, which got a low chuckle from Demetri. Bella looked away from Mike's roaming eyes, and found another pair across the fire to look into. They belonged to Edward, and they looked quite irritated.

Jude broke the silence. "So…" Jude looked from Edward to Bella and cocked an eyebrow at Edward, but he shook his head before she could make any assumptions. She was forced to find a different topic. "Well Bella and Demetri, welcome to _The Resistance_. You're officially, unofficially welcomed."

Bella nodded. "Thanks."

"And what does that mean…?" Demetri eyed Jude, and when she smiled warmly, his breath caught. He was already falling victim to her hard edge looks and her compassion, like many boys before him.

"It means our leader is away, and until he gets back, you'll be unofficially apart of the group."

"He's not that bad, Bella. He just makes the decisions around here, that's all." Edward had cut in quick after reading the frozen state on Bella's face.

Bella nodded, but it didn't mean anything. She peered into the fire, its twisting and turning flames doing little to distract her from her thoughts. She wasn't sure if she wanted to be apart of this group anymore. For her to have to pass a test, or be looked at by someone else, it all reminded her of the Volturi Guard process, and what a mistake that had been. She just wanted to 'be', and not have to sign her name to something that would cost her in the end.

"Bella." Demetri got her attention from across the fire. "I'm glad you're OK. You're lucky Edward was around."

"Yes. That's right. Lucky." Bella didn't have much enthusiasm in her voice.

"Bella, Demetri was telling me about how he came across you. Must have been scary traveling alone. You're lucky to have survived."

Demetri locked eyes with Bella, his eyes wide. This was what both of them had feared. Jude was already on the suspicion, testing the waters for matching answers, and Demetri and Bella had no time to work out their story.

Bella didn't know what to say.

Edward cut in. "Yes she is. She's lucky to have such a _reliable_ boyfriend. Tell me Demetri, how difficult was it to leave her in the desert, _all alone_?"

Bella could have died right then and there. Edward had unknowingly made her situation worse, and she had no way to tell Demetri to play along.

"What? Boyfriend? Demetri said he just happened to come across her. What's the real story, Demetri? Maybe this time you won't leave anything out, considering we might look into things." Mike said this like he was the boss of the campfire, eyeing Demetri like he was a child.

Demetri glared at Mike, but then cast his glare on Bella, who had gone frozen. "Ummm…well…" Demetri's glare couldn't have gotten more menacing on Bella's panicked face. And while he searched for the words in his jumbled up brain, one vampire was searching through it, and finding out that Bella was one little liar.

Edward snapped his head up to the panicked hybrid, and when she locked eyes with him, he cocked an eyebrow at her. "Bella, how did you two meet?" He tried not to smile, but he was going to enjoy tormenting her a little for making him feel like he had lost her to someone else. And when he saw the pissed glare coming across Bella's face, he didn't let it deter him from his time to make her cringe.

But then the tense atmosphere seemed to get even more tense. All thanks to one boy named Mike. "Well, I can't imagine this pretty girl going for someone like him anyway." Mike's hand reached out and came over Bella's shoulders, pulling her into his side. "Right, young Bella?"

_Young Bella. _Bella blinked, her mind taking itself out of her current uncomfortable situation, and back into one of the past, where certain vampires used to refer to her that way.

And then Mike tightened his arm around her, pulling her closer to his side, so that she could smell every single God awful thing about him…and that's when she snapped. Her fist hit the boy's face, knocking him backwards off the log, and onto the ground.

"Bella, what the fuck_—_" Demetri didn't have time to talk some sense into the wild hybrid's head. When she saw the look of fear and disgust on Mike's face, she removed herself from the campfire before she could kill him. She didn't know where she was going, and she knew she had to go back eventually, but for now, following the moon into the darkness only made sense.

Oh if only she could run away from her mind.

Edward watched Bella run into the darkness in the direction of the watering hole, and as much as his insides were telling him to leave her alone, he just couldn't. He stood up from his place on the log, full intentions to run after her, but the moment he did, Demetri put an unfriendly hand on his arm. "Let her go. She isn't going far. She's just having a hard time."

Edward glared at him. "Don't tell me what to do." He ripped his arm away the vampire, and left the fire, but he didn't head in the direction Bella went.

"Wow. Good thing everyone's getting along." Jude said sarcastically, to which Demetri nodded.

"Yeah. Good thing."

-x-

Bella followed a random trail the moon had lit up under her feet, and after about ten minutes of walking it, she came to a ledge that overlooked a small watering hole.

Bella let out a silent gasp, and let her eyes wander over the small oasis. Trees branches dipped over boulders that drank from the dark water, and off to the left, where her eyes had momentarily locked, was a calm water fall, pouring water off a higher ledge than the one she was standing on.

It was amazing to Bella; she had been to many corners of the world, but nothing had held so much calm, comfort, and sereneness to her ever. It felt like home to her…like the pond back in Alaska.

Back in those days, she didn't know how easy she had it. Not only did she not know she wasn't a monster, but she had a family, and a way of life that fit her. She could have been happy if she had of let herself, instead of wanting more…and being the curious bitch she was now.

Curiosity killed the cat, and it would probably kill her as well.

She leaned over the ledge of the boulder she had been staring into space on, and looked down at the dark waters below. It would be stupid to jump this high the first time…for a human. She wasn't one, and she didn't need to pretend to be when she was all alone.

Or so she thought.

"Are you actually considering jumping?" A boy emerged from the trees, catching Bella off guard. She spun around to face him, fearful he was someone looking for her, but when she looked him up and down, she realized he was only a human boy, just like what she probably looked like to him.

"Who are you?" She took a side step to the right, putting some distance from the ledge, but she kept her eyes on him. He had messy dark hair, kept out of his eyes with a dirty bandana wrapped like a sweat band around his head, and his clothes were dark and tattered, like he had been through some stuff in his life.

Bella relaxed a little. She knew he must be from the group back at the fire.

"Careful where you stop those pretty eyes of yours. You're gonna make me blush." His voice was boyish, like his face, and innocent…yet not. He was making her angry without even trying.

"I'm only observing the filth all over your body, that's all. How can you stand it?" Bella felt the fight being brought out of her, and it felt good to be able to pick a fight with someone her own age, and not be fearful of the repercussions. She had forgotten what it was like to have an opinion.

"Well you don't look so good yourself…Miss…?" He popped his eyebrow and looked at her out of the corner of his eye. He was waiting for an answer.

"It's Bella. Not Miss Bella, not Miss Swan. Just Bella."

"Just Bella. That's pretty. Is Just short for Justine?" He grinned at her, waiting for her to laugh. "Or you don't look that girly, so it must be Justin_—_ which is actually my name."

Bella flashed her white teeth at him and gave him an unimpressed look. "What a coincidence _that_ would be." She waited for the grin to fall off his face, but it stayed, never retreating. She didn't understand him. "What's wrong with you?"

"Absolutely nothing. Why do you ask?" He leaned on a tree casually and stared up at her through his dark lashes, and that's when Bella caught his gold eyes in the moonlight. But instead of falling for them, she felt jealous of them. He reminded her of Rosalie, and how she wanted everything she had.

And then she realized what they meant…and what he was.

"You're a vampire. A vegetarian, but still, a real vampire." Bella wasn't scared of him though. She hadn't even realized he was one until she saw his eyes. But now that she looked, he was too good looking, even for a human. She just hadn't noticed it before through all the dirt and muck on his face.

"You're aware of vampires…are you scared?" He smiled when she chuckled lowly, and when Bella saw this, it made her angry all over again.

"Why are you smiling?" Bella reached into her pocket for a hair elastic and pulled her hair up into a loose pony tail. She felt self conscious all the sudden, all because he was so chilled and relaxed with himself, and exactly what she wanted to be.

"I always smile." He removed his shoulder from the tree and moved so that he was a foot in front of her. "I'm Justin. I'm a vampire. I like to smile." He reached out and took her hand without even offering it first, and shook her hand.

Bella would have normally yanked her hand away, but she felt intrigued by him. He wasn't off putting like the Mike fellow back at camp, not in the least bit, but he wasn't exactly the kind she normally became friends with. Maybe that was a good thing.

"Don't you have anything to say about yourself?" He asked, still shaking her hand.

Bella thought quick and hard, and then eyed him mischievously when her answer came to mind. "I'm Bella. I'm a vampire wannabe. I hate smiling."

Justin pulled his hand away. "Well, maybe I can help." He turned to face the water. "I can show you how to smile, if you follow my lead." He stepped away from Bella and lifted his foot into his hands, and just as Bella was about to ask what the fuck was going through his head, he took off his shoe…and then his sock.

Bella's eyes widened. "You're skinny dipping."

Justin laughed. "You only wish, Just Bella. But no, I prefer to have a bit of protection when I'm in the water." Off came his other shoe and sock, and then he undid his belt, his pants falling to the ground.

Bella looked away for a second, feeling awkward.

"Oh don't get all high and mighty on me now. You know you want to look, and you know you want to join me." He shrugged out of his t-shirt and sweater just as Bella brought back her gaze to Justin, naked except for his boxers, glowing in the moonlight.

Her answer shocked even him. "Fine." Bella lost her insecurities the moment he had lost his own clothes. If he could stand proud before her, a stranger, then why couldn't she? She tugged off her sweater and shirt in one swift motion, leaving only her bra that was once white, now turned greyish black.

Justin's low whistle made her snap her head up in his direction, catching him staring at her. He didn't even shy away when she glared at him. "Don't look at me like that. You stared long and hard at me, and I'll do just that and more at you."

"You're a pig." Bella tugged a shoe off next, and chucked it at him, which only made him start chanting obscure comments like 'take it off'. Bella held in her temper and undid her pants, and just to tease him, she slowly rid them down her hips, watching his eyes, and then yanked them right off just when he thought he was going to get a show.

"You have a temper. It's pathetic. The littlest things bother you." He walked over to the ledge, and looked over his shoulder at Bella, who had her arms crossed to cover her bra, but couldn't think of a way to cover her navy boy shorts.

"I wouldn't say you're little." Bella came up beside him and looked down at the dark water. She wasn't scared.

"Amen." He snapped the strap of his boxers and turned a grin on Bella, which she snarled at and instinctively shoved him away. But Justin was quick, and grabbed onto her wrist just as he fell back over the ledge, taking Bella over with him.

While Bella soared, she tried to untangle his arms from hers, but he was smiling and enjoying the fall while he held her tightly to his chest. And then the water covered over both of their heads, the coldness making Bella yelp underneath the blanket of darkness. But it ended too soon; Justin was still under the impression that she was completely human, and pulled her up to breath even before she had time to run out of oxygen.

"That was fun, right?" He finally let her go and swam over to the opposite side of the watering hole, and climbed up onto the boulders so that he was being rinsed off by the gentle water fall.

Bella nodded and continued to tread the water, and watched him ring out his bandana and pull it over his wet hair.

"Too bad you weren't as breakable as you are. We could jump from there." Justin nodded over his shoulder to the ledge of the water fall, and then grinned.

Bella actually smiled, falling victim to his contagious grin.

"Oh, there you go! I got you to smile…" Justin suddenly leaped off the rocks and into the pool of water, splashing water up into Bella's face so that she had to wipe her eyes. When she opened them, he was in front of her, of course grinning, and treading water to her pace.

"Now what? Life still sucks, _Justin_." Bella stared up at the moon that was lighting up their faces, not wanting to admit that maybe one little adventure was actually enough for the night.

But Justin had an answer for everything. "Well…" He swam a bit closer to her, close enough so that he could stare seriously into her eyes. "I don't know what it is about you, but you're like no one I've ever met."

Bella eyed him curiously. "Spit it out Justin. What's on your mind?"

"Well…you said you were a vampire wannabe…maybe I could help you in that department." He smiled lightly, his canines sparkling in the moonlight.

Bella didn't have a chance to answer. There was the sound of trees rustling, and then a booming voice rejecting Justin's offer before Bella could. "Yeah that's not happening_—_Bella get out of the water."

Justin laughed.

Bella didn't.

-x-

**A/N: Sorry for the late update. I have H1N1. It sucks. But I was finally able to clear my head and write a chapter this week for you guys. Tell me what you think. **

**Song: The Climb by Miley Cyrus **


	15. Tick Tick Boom

**Disclaimer: **Stephenie Meyer wrote Twilight, only because she was bored, like me, so that's why I write fanficiton.

**Chapter 15: Tick Tick Boom**

"_Get your head out of the sand."_ –_The Hives_

-x-

**Oslo, Norway. October 31st, 2012 (a few months prior)**

Once upon a time, Demetri hated Bella.

He didn't respect her, she didn't respect him, and neither party saw eye to eye with the other.

And it was as simple as that.

For years this relationship played out. Bella would get into physical and verbal fights with Demetri, and then Demetri fought back, not caring that she was a hybrid.

And it was these fights that occurred day in and say out, one never the same as the last, that eventually shown some light on their similarities, opening up the door to a possible truce.

Which eventually happened.

For now, the rivalry was done. Demetri looked at Bella without wanting to kill her, and Bella looked at Demetri without a sour taste in her mouth. Their platonic relationship never evolved; it stayed in the neutral shade that was one of content.

One could say it was like a brother and sister pairing, and maybe that's why no matter how long they tried to stay chill, there was always something about the other that made their skin itch. If it wasn't one thing, it was the other, and Bella and Demetri always found something to argue over.

Sometimes it was Bella's attitude that Demetri tried to ignore and couldn't, or sometimes it was Demetri's patronizing laugh that made Bella want to rip his head off. Either way, it was the littlest things that ticked the other off.

But one particular argument came up more often than not, guaranteeing the two 'frenenemies' to duel over who was right and who was wrong. The match that lit these explosions was the fact that Bella no longer wanted to be in _The Guard_, and Demetri couldn't stand knowing this.

Demetri pretended not to notice the first time Bella nonchalantly mentioned her negative feelings toward The Guard, and then he laughed off the second time she joked about leaving it, but the third time she voiced her negative opinion on the matter, he had had it.

He grabbed the hybrid who just admitted to something that no member was to utter, and threw her up against a wall in the dark alley, just after a nightshift of keeping an ear out on things. How ironic.

"I'm kidding, Demetri. Jeez, let me go."

"You're not kidding. All I hear is how you're going to one day get out of this. I know you're not joking because you've already wandered away from this group before. Remember?" He slammed her harder against the wall, her teeth rattling from the impact.

Bella both loved and hated remembering her time away from The Guard. It took a bit of time to realize she did miss Forks, and the vampires she left behind there. She made a mistake by coming back to a place that never did fit her. And one certain vampire had been right the whole time…and she wanted to run back to him and tell him this a hundred times over.

Demetri wasn't done arguing. "And you're putting me in a place I don't want to be in by knowing this!"

"Never mind. Forget I mentioned it." Bella shoved Demetri away from her, and straightened out her leather coat. "I'll just go on my miserable way, pretending life is awesome." Demetri grabbed onto her wrist before she could walk by him. She looked at him weirdly, mocking his look. "What? Don't look at me like that."

"You're a terrible liar. I know you're scheming ways. And plus, I heard you and Victoria the other night in your room."

"Oh so you're spying on me now—"

"Actually no, it's called walking down a hallway where there happens to be an open door, with two stupid girls talking foolishly about bullshit that isn't going to fly."

Bella looked at the ground when the embarrassment flooded her stomach. It sounded lame when he said it like that. Especially since she had nothing to start a new life with; a best friend and a half dream only got you so far.

"You need to stop spreading these thoughts around of a quick departure, Bella. You know the drill; you leave, you die."

Bella looked at her finger nails, finding a hang nail to pick while she debated on admitting her thoughts about the topic.

"And you're smiling—I don't get you."

"No, no. Just listen to me, hear me out. This is how I see it—"

"Don't tell me. If you leave, do you know who the tracker of this organization is?"

Bella grinned. "_Exactly_. And you can't find me because of this." She tapped the side of her head.

"Oh and you plan on leaving Victoria? That's fun. What a good friend you are."

"You see that's what we're still working on because—"

"Stop it! STOP DISCUSSING THIS!" Demetri grabbed onto Bella's shoulders and shook her a little. "One more word of this bullshit, and I swear to _God_, I will report you. And I won't even care Bella!"

"OK." Bella yanked herself away from him. "Fine. I promise."

"It's childish the way I look out for you. You're like my kid sister and it pisses me off the way you make me feel like I have to protect you." Demetri shoved past her, thinking the plotting would finally come to an end.

_Then don't_ Bella thought to herself. But she knew she had him tied around her finger. He would do anything for her, she would do anything for him, even if they choked each other in the process.

And Bella was persistent; she hated her life, and finally, she was willing to do something about it. She just needed to get some vampires on board with her planning.

And she would.

-x-

_**Present day, Utah. 4am**_

Jude was pretty. Only because she was the type of person who didn't know she was. She had never had a beauty routine, never cared enough to see what she was wearing, and never found something interesting to stare at in a mirror. She was like the girl next door, the girl you wanted to be friends with, the girl a boy could bring home to his mother. But she never let herself be this type of person, or at least, not the cliché happy-go-lucky blonde version. She didn't conform to her society when it used to exist; she could have an edge, speak her mind, look mean, and still be a good person with compassion for others. She stayed true to who she was, which drew people closer to her.

And that's why Demetri couldn't keep his eyes off of her.

It was late in the night, stars sparkling, moon slowly vanishing behind a sheet of darkness. Edward and Bella had ruined the atmosphere not even two minutes ago by running off in different directions, and Newton was off crying about his wound, leaving Demetri to bathe in the radiance pouring off the human girl in front of him.

She wasn't even his type. His type was bitchy, blonde, and busty— not to mention not breathing. But this girl had trapped his full alertness, and she didn't even know it. She stared at the flames of the fire like she was alone, not being stared through by a lust filled vampire.

Or so he had thought.

"Stop staring. It makes you look obsessed."

Demetri tripped over his tongue for words. "Obsessed isn't the word. Observing is a more appropriate term."

"And what was it you were observing." A statement, not a question, which made Demetri lean back from her edge she was pushing him off of.

"I...well…"

"Yeah. Exactly." she stood up from her place at the fire, and when she did, Demetri got this gut reaction to grab her and pull her back down.

But he didn't have the balls to act on it though, so instead, he asked "Where are you going?"

She looked at him like he had just asked if she knew what 79 minus 36 was, which she didn't. And when he didn't speak, she rolled her eyes at him. "It's late. I'm human. I'm tired. I'm going to my tent."

"Oh."

Then Demetri saw a spark of something flicker in her eyes. He straightened his back to get a better look into them.

And then she smiled, her hard jaw slightly softening. "Do you want to come with me?" A genuine look came across her face when she nodded over her shoulder to the dark tent in the distance.

Demetri's eyes widened, and if he was human, his heart would have been going a million miles a minute. He slowly rose from the log, his legs slightly wobbly from the feeling of not being in control for once. This girl had _that_ kind of an affect on him. "I-I w-would like t-that."

And then the rug was pulled out from under his feet.

The genuine look wiped off her face, an un-amused one replacing it instantly, as if night and day just happened right before his eyes. "Yeah I bet you would." And then she walked off— alone—leaving the vampire to decipher the first hand performance of a very good actress, and a well written script.

Demetri sat back down, the fire flickering into his dead eyes. And even though the human girl had intended her act to sway his feelings for her elsewhere, she had unintentionally gotten a bite with her hook.

She was something else, and Demetri couldn't help but grin when Jude stepped into her tent, looked over her shoulder, and gave him the finger.

-x-

Justin heard the approaching vampire in the distance. But that didn't deter him from having a little fun with his new friend.

He found Bella interesting. She was obviously an outsider, like him, confused about where she belonged, and then there was something different about her that he couldn't quite place.

And that's why he found himself stepping beside himself, trying to figure out the complex girl in front of him. He felt like she was the ultimate puzzle, one that could keep him entertained for hours and hours, and in the end, a master piece would be unveiled.

He tested her with the question of whether he could change her into her dream of being what he was. He wasn't sure or not if he would take her up on the offer. Probably not. But it didn't matter because he only wanted to see her reaction. How much guts did she have?

And then the vampire hiding in the bushes had to ruin their harmless fun.

"Yeah that's not happening—Bella get out of the water." It was a shock for Demetri to see Bella with someone. He had gone looking for her expecting to find her in her typical depressed state, not messing around with a vampire that he didn't know the likes of.

But Bella was more shocked than Demetri. Having him come in and ruin her parade was upsetting to her. It was typical Demetri behaviour, she thought to herself.

Bella finally looked at him. A blank expression on her face. And because she's the type of person who doesn't do what she's told, she didn't get out of the water immediately.

Justin felt the tension, and because he craves good entertainment, he threw some logs on the fire. "Who's he, Bella?" Justin cocked an unfriendly eyebrow up at Demetri, giving him the once over to set the vampire off. It worked too easily, and had Demetri snarling instantly.

"I could ask her the same thing about _you_." Demetri pointed an unfriendly finger at the Justin, not liking how close he lingered to Bella. He felt protective of her, which he resented. Why couldn't he just take care of himself and be done with it?

But he couldn't. He had this attachment to Bella that was impossible to cut off.

Bella wasn't thinking of connections, or relationships, or anything that had to do with tying two people together. She was off in her own head, coming to a realization that _this _vampire didn't know _that_ one. "Woah, wait a second!" Bella swam over to the ledge of the pond and climbed out. "You're not in The Resistance." It was a statement pointed at Justin, not a question.

"Either are you." Justin shrugged nonchalantly, not seeing the issue.

"Yes she is. More than you are, apparently." Demetri, on the other hand, was defensive all the sudden.

"Oh I didn't know they let _The Guard_ members into the organization. Times have changed." Justin caught Bella's eye just for a second, noticing the absolute shock/confusion in them. He didn't feel bad for calling her out; he was being cornered.

"I didn't tell him that." Bella looked to Demetri. She didn't understand where Justin had figured this out.

"You didn't…" Justin suddenly disappeared out of the water and jumped up out onto the ledge of the cliff, grabbing onto the heap of clothes and appearing in front of Bella all in a flash. He held out her pants, shirt and sweater, waiting for her to take them from his hands.

Bella glared at him, but reached for them even though she didn't want to. And it was this perfect moment that Justin took the opportunity to lock her wrist in his grip.

Bella froze. She saw his eyes tracing over the tattoo she had forgotten about up until this moment. Demetri swore under his breath.

"As I was saying…you may not have said anything…but this," Justin let her hand drop, "says it all."

"Bella get your clothes on. Let's go." Demetri started to walk away, but stopped when he heard Justin chuckle. He turned to face him. "Something wrong, boy?"

Justin shook his head, a grin still on his face. "No, nothing." He pulled his shirt over his head. "It's just pathetic how you two think _they_ aren't going to know."

Demetri stared at the vampire. The secret was out. Nothing was stopping him from going to the others and informing them of their shady past.

Bella was still on the idea that she could play dumb. "Know what?" She asked, in between shoving her legs into her jeans. But when Justin laughed again, she knew her acting was bad, and that set her off. "Who the hell are you?"

His answer was instant. "A loner. Like you."

Bella blinked. "I'm not like you at all." She half believed this.

"Oh really? Then why didn't you deny that you were a loner?"

Bella hardened her jaw and flipped her gaze over to Demetri, looking for an answer that proved him wrong.

She came up with nothing…only because he was right. Bella was neither here or there, and at the moment, she was a loner. He knew this, and now she did.

"We can work something out. You're obviously in the know about _certain things_," he avoided being specific about their situation, "what will it take to not rat us out?"

It was the frustrated tone in Demetri's voice, the stupid sly smile on Justin's face, and the panicked heart beat that triggered something in Bella. She suddenly had this vision that told her she was not going to be walked on.

"No, this is unfair!" Bella instinctively became violent, her surroundings going blurry. She felt like god had given her the strength to do anything, and with that, she rushed Justin, with the idea of scaring him straight.

Her intentions were to plough right into him, scrape her fingers across his face, rip his eyes out, and other painful things perhaps. But her plans were taken away when another vampire appeared out of nowhere, colliding with Bella before she could get another inch closer to Justin.

Bella thrashed against the iron arms that had wrapped around her torso, holding her arms tight to her sides. Justin was making her outburst worse by continuing to smile, locking his gold eyes that she was insanely jealous off directly on her dirt brown ones.

"Bella calm down!" Edward held her tightly to his chest. "Stop it!" He was barely able to hold onto her, but he was managing some how. He didn't understand what was going on or why she was becoming violent. Someone obviously set Bella off, and that's why he tried to read the minds around him for answers as he held Bella tightly. But one thing shocked him; Bella's mind wasn't the only one that was silent tonight. Edward could only rake through Demetri's mind, and he saw what Demetri had seen, and that only made Edward more furious. "Who the hell is he?" He nodded towards the vampire with the shielded mind, a glare coming across his face.

Demetri opened his mouth to answer, but before he could give a sly answer, Bella beat him to the punch. "He's here to ruin our chances at being normal!" And with that, she suddenly gained the upper hand on Edward's vice grip, finding an area to push herself away from him, charging Justin for the second time.

Justin let her smash into him, allowing his feet to come out from under him. And when they were both on the ground, Bella attempting to do some damage, he flipped onto her, locking his knees on her arms, and trapping her under him.

It only lasted for a second though. Justin got a first hand lesson on what happens when he messes with Bella; he pisses off Edward.

Edward smashed into Justin, ripping him from Bella and throwing him into a boulder near the edge of the clearing. Edward grabbed onto Bella's arm just as she leapt for Justin _again,_ throwing her behind his body.

"Let me go Edward." Bella swiped at Edward's face, but he ducked and caught her wrist, twisting it behind her back until she let out a painful cry.

Edward immediately dropped his hold on her wrist, his eyes going wide with what he had done. Bella stepped away from him, her furious eyes on his, momentarily forgetting about the other vampire who had pissed her off, and concentrating on the one who had just now.

Then Demetri stepped in "Everyone needs to settle down before anyone else happens to stumble into the clearing."

"Yeah _Bella_." Justin straightened out his dark shirt and tilted his head to the side to peer at the furious hybrid. "Who knew _hybrids_ had such a temper."

Edward's head snapped up when he heard the word release from the vampire's mouth. Why would Bella tell this vampire who and what she was? "Bella what did you do?" Edward brought back his angry glare down on Bella, who showed him an equally vicious one.

"I didn't do _anything_. He just knows stuff—and he saw this," Bella flashed her tattoo, _**122112-15**_.

Edward raked his fingers through his hair, wanting to rip it all out and then rip Justin's head off. He wasn't going to let him get in between Bella and his chances of having a good start at something.

"I'm not going to say anything."

Everyone shot a look at Justin, not believing his simple statement.

"Why would I? I probably have an even shadier past than Bella, and I too want to start over somewhere."

Bella blinked. Someone with an even worse past than hers was unbelievable.

"Sorry you're not coming back to our camp. We're overbooked as it is." Edward picked up Bella's sweater and shirt off the ground, to which Bella snatched from his hands before he could offer it to her.

Bella watched Justin's face fall. His eyes lost their spark, his mouth was no longer in a half smirk, and his jaw was tight, as if he was holding back. How was it that a moment prior, she was willing to beat his sorry ass, and now…she wanted to know everything about him?

Demetri froze when he saw the look on Bella's face he had seen a hundred times over. It was the same one she got after witnessing the horrible crimes their organization enforced. He knew where this was going, but he was still shocked when Bella opened her mouth.

"Justin…" Bella hesitated, and ignored the sideways glares coming from both sides of her. "You can come—just as long as we keep everything quiet. I think we can get along for now, and the more people the better, right Edward?" Bella turned to face him, her eyes gazing through him.

Edward stared at her in disbelief. "I think you've already made up your mind." He didn't stay around to witness the conclusion to the night events. He walked off, hoping that come morning the only vampire that he detested in the camp would be Demetri.

But that wasn't how it worked out.

-x-

_**10am**_

Bella slept in.

She couldn't remember the last time she got to roll over onto her stomach and snooze. It was enjoyable; her brown tent was tightly sealed off to the outside world, and she got to lay in an old sleeping bag by herself and gaze at the random pieces of "stuff" around her.

The tent had a dirt floor, an area with a thin foam mattress to sleep on, an oil lamp, a very small cooler, and a few hiking bags thrown in one corner.

Bella crawled out of her sleeping bag, pulling the strands of hair that fell in front of her eyes out of her face, and looked over to the heap of stuff shoved to one side of the cozy tent.

_To snoop or not to snoop…_Bella was unsure what to do next. Last night, after _everything_, Bella had arrived back at the camp to see Edward staring straight into the fire, his face blank. When she tried talking to him, he simply ignored her and told her "It's late. The only free tent is that one." To which he pointed her off to a lonely looking tent to the far right of the camp.

And that's why she was all alone in a single tent, waking up to the fact that this tent wasn't as "free" as Edward had said it to be.

"Fucking liar." Bella reached for the backpack her eyes had been locked with since waking up, and since no one was around, she decided it would be ok to take a look through its contents. She quickly unzipped the opening, and peered inside, only to find nothing too exciting.

An iPod, a few comic books, a crossword puzzle book, some clothes, Tuck Everlasting, some stationary—

Bella fell back onto her ass when the shock of realizing who owned this bag came up and hit her in the face. She quickly sped to zip it back up, feeling like she had gone too far into Edward's business, even if she hadn't found anything interesting.

She raked her fingers from her scalp all the way through her hair, her eyes wide; Edward had directed her to _his_ tent last night. He had given up his space for her—

She felt claustrophobic. And if she didn't get out of the tight knit space, where she felt protected and loved, she would die.

Bella grabbed onto her shoes, unzipped the tent, and while trying to yank on her shoes, she reached for her hoodie, causing her to trip out of the tent, landing on her ass.

"Jesus fucking Christ!" Bella pulled herself up off the ground and kicked the tent, her anger getting the best of her.

"Bella."

Bella cringed on the inside when she heard Demetri's controlling voice. It only ticked her off even more on her cranky morning. "What!" She spun around quickly, expecting Demetri to be standing behind her, only to find him sitting at the fire pit with everyone else, staring wide eyed at her.

"Come have breakfast with us," Demetri said, careful not to say something wrong. He knew Bella's morning state was always in a groggy mood, but this was just ridiculous.

"I'm fine." Bella shoved her hoodie over her head and began to walk off, only to be stopped by the sound of someone's voice calling her back.

"Don't you want to meet the head of _The Resistance_, Bella?" It was Justin's voice that made her turn around. If he could handle meeting the group…maybe she could. She slowly rounded the corner of her tent again, and this time, she lifted her eyes to the group. She saw Edward avoiding eye contact with her, and that Jude girl sitting next to him, and Demetri next to her. Then there were a few random humans she didn't know...and then one vampire off to the right…and she definitely knew him. Her eyes became wide when she realized she wasn't hallucinating. The man with the piercing eyes and dark hair _was_ real.

"Hello, Young Bella." He said this with a warm smile, like he had no idea who she was and she had no idea who he was. When that _so_ wasn't the case…

Bella's heart rate picked up, its loud thumping rhythm actually hurting her chest. She felt the fear rise up in her stomach, making her freeze and forget what she was supposed to do to protect herself.

Edward noticed, and he slowly rose from his place on the log, confusion covering his face. "Come sit down Bella."

Her legs moved forward on his command, even though her head screamed for her to turn around and run the other way. But she couldn't; doing that would ruin everything. Instead, she sat down next to Edward, her eyes never making eye contact with the ones she feared most of all.

Edward sensed something was wrong. "What's the matter—"

"I think we should introduce you to those who haven't meant you, Doctor." Jude was oblivious to any tension around the fire pit. "We have some new additions. Justin, Demetri and Bella know that you decide who comes and who goes around here, but that's about it. Maybe you could say a little something?"

Bella kept her gaze on the ground while she prayed to the God she usually ignored to protect her this one time. She wanted to survive. She wanted to be somebody.

"I'm Doctor Jones. You can call me Jones."

Bella had heard this speech before, and that's why the hairs on her neck began to rise.

"And what makes you superior to us?" Justin wasn't afraid of him. He leaned back on his spot on the log, not realizing this man was someone with a status. But Justin simply didn't like how Jones came off as knowing something that the rest didn't.

"I formed this group…right after I left _The Guard_."

Justin laughed. "That's something else right there…" Justin was grinning from ear to ear. "And it's kind of hypocritical, to be from a group that this group doesn't allow. How do we know we can trust you?"

"You don't. You can leave anytime you want."

"Touché," Demetri mumbled, to which Jude lightly chuckled.

"I have to pee." Bella couldn't stand a second longer around him. She left the circle without another word, and avoided the eyes that she felt burning two holes on the side of her face.

-x-

**Recap: **

The first part of the chapter was from when Bella went back to _The Guard_. It was just a chunk of information to show Demetri and Bella's relationship, mostly.

Justin has a shady past…but we don't know what that means yet. Bella wants to find out, and that's why she let him come back to camp with her.

Edward doesn't like Justin (no shit), and that's why he gave Bella his tent, so that he could keep an eye on her. Bella realized this, and realized Edward was being protective of her, and that's why she fled the tent, to which she saw everyone outside having breakfast.

And that's where she meet Doctor Jones, who is someone from Bella's past. He is the one who formed this particular Resistance group, and also used to be in The Guard. He knows Bella, but has yet to tell the rest of the group this. For whatever reason, he hasn't blown her cover.

We will find out more about this relationship later.

**A/N: **I don't have the Swine Flu anymore! So I started writing, and I got this half ass chapter out.

By the way, the reviews from the last chapter were wonderful. You fans rock.

**Song: Tick Tick Boom by The Hives**


	16. Jump Then Fall

**Disclaimer:** I borrowed the characters from Twilight. If they want to go back after their done this adventure, they can. But I doubt they'll want to.

**Chapter 16: Jump Then Fall**

I realize your laugh is the best sound I have ever heard.  
I like the way I can't keep my focus.  
I watch you talk, you didn't notice.  
I hear the words but all I can think is we should be together.

-Taylor Swift

-x-

_**Moab, Utah. 12pm (present day)**_

Bella stared down at her tattoo on the inside of her wrist.

_**122112-15**_…how could 8 little numbers have so much meaning?

The date had come and gone, along with ¾ of the world's population. Those that were now dead hadn't known what was coming, forfeiting their chance for an opportunity to run for cover. Some say it was their ignorance that killed them, but that's simply not true. It was the withholding of knowledge from the public that sealed their dead-end fate, facts that only a select few had known.

But Bella _had_ known. And instead of spreading the news like wild fire, she took care of herself, becoming a runner to get away from it all.

It seemed like the only thing that was consistent in her life was her ability to run. It didn't matter if you were human, vampire, or hybrid; your two legs got you from point A to point B, with the only difference being the timing.

_**12…21…12…**_Bella traced the numbers on her wrist lightly at first, but when the memories of the days around _that_ day came back to her, she started to scrape her tattoo, as if she could erase that time of her life just by removing the unwanted ink.

But there was no getting rid of it though. The ink was poison underneath her flesh. Every time she looked at the numbers in thick black lettering, it was a reminder of the animal she was, what she had done, and what she _hadn't. _It didn't matter how many times she went over events in her mind; they didn't disappear, she was the bad guy, the dead ones were the good.

Her wrist was red when she finally stopped scraping up the skin, her tattoo still perfectly clear through the blazing flesh. It would forever be a permanent reminder of _who_ had slapped the tattoo on her.

Bella glanced up from her wrist to view her surroundings, a chance to rest her mind from contemplating the past.

She was sitting on a rock on top of a tall hill, where dry tall grass blew around her, and patches of dirt filled in the bare areas. It was a hill that dipped low, and was quite rocky in areas where if you weren't careful, you could do some damage. About 100 meters away from her, down in the pit of the small valley, her campsite was being run by the Doctor she never wanted to see again.

Jones.

_Had to be him…off all people, Jones comes back to haunt me. _God was funny like that. He was testing her, she figured, and that gave her an opportunity to surprise God in not doing what he thought she would do.

She wasn't going to hide from Jones; that was to be expected normally. Instead, she would go about her day normally, maybe glance up at some new people, and if an opportunity arose, do something fun.

Like running down the steep part of the hill she was sitting on. _That_ would be more than fun.

She laughed. _No,_ _that would be reckless_ she thought to herself, which was why she smiled a bit wider.

The 12pm sun beat down on her back, coating her skin with a thin layer of sweat. It was unbelievable that this was post apocalyptic weather; sunny skies and a ground to place your feet on weren't in the forecast a year ago.

She watched the campsite down below of over 30 members divide into groups of three or four, some leaving, and some staying to clean up the food from lunch. Where the humans had found red meat or where the vampires found their blood was unexplainable to Bella, but she had little interest to go down and start asking questions. If she did that, people would have questions for her, and then Jones would either get to call her out on her lies or sit back and laugh at her.

She didn't like the idea of either of them, and that's why she stayed where she was, overlooking her plans for a better future. And for now, that included a bit of her past in the form of Dr. Jones. She would have to avoid him as much as she could if she wanted to stay and have a place to call 'home'.

Dr. Jones was oblivious to Bella's eyes, which were currently fixated on his back while he leaned over and scrubbed a pop clean. In fact, he hadn't paid any attention to her at all since he had gotten to the camp. He had planning to do, more hunting trips to organize; apparently Mike wasn't much of a leader while he was gone, and had gotten on a lot of the women's nerves. Jones intended to talk to him later, when he found the time. The last thing he wanted was a divide in the group.

But he didn't have a chance to scare the human boy at the moment; Justin had snuck up behind the Doctor and intended on getting on his good side.

"Hi Jones,." Justin removed his hands from his pockets when Jones looked up from his scrubbing. He hated the way Jones' eyes scanned over him, sizing him up. And then to top it off with a little smirk on the lower right side of his mouth made him angry. He pushed through it though, showing no emotion. "I'd like to go on your hunting trip. I've been on my own for awhile now, and I have many attributes that would work well for your hunting party." Justin straightened up his back when he stood, showing off his physique while keeping a relaxed face. He didn't know why he was nervous, but he was excellent at hiding it. He was good at hiding anything.

Jones shrugged and stood from his crotched position, shaking hands with the vampire in front of him. He made sure to have a firm grip to frighten him a little, but the vampire only gave an even firmer grip back. He wasn't intimidated by him, it seemed. "We're always up for more help. But we do need strong vampires to stay back with the younger generation and the humans that choose to stay behind. What do you say to that?" Jones hadn't even unpacked his hiking bag from his last trip, and instead, added a few more necessities that made life in the wild a little bit less harsh.

"I'm the type of guy who likes to bring home the bread. Let the wo—"

Jude was suddenly next to Justin, finishing his sentence for him. She had been listening from the fire pit, next to Edward, but she couldn't stay quiet for long. "Women? Let the Women do what Justin? Bake the bread? Because that would be pretty fucking sexist if you said that."

A few feet away, Edward glanced at Jude out of the corner of his eye, the first time in hours he had looked away from Bella. He found amusement in watching the images of Jude's mind bringing up moments she had talked back to boys, shoving them into vulnerable corners, making them feel two inches tall.

He smiled to himself. But it was weak and quickly fell off his face. Only because he could never know if Justin was bothered by Jude's words; his mind was cut off to everyone, just like Bella's.

"A temper. A girl as angry as _you_ has a good reason…probably insecurity." Justin turned away from her and focused back on Jones, her outburst not even fazing him one bit. "I would like to go with you. I need some excitement in my life."

"I guess you can then. I don't see why not," Jones sighed, rubbing a hand through his dark hair. "Let's walk and talk for a bit then, get to know each other a little, and I can tell you a bit about what we'll be doing." Jones put his hand on Justin's shoulder, leading him away from the campsite.

That left Edward and Jude alone at the campfire pit, where it seemed they spent the majority of their time. Other people were around, but they were heading out on errands, while way off in the distance, Demetri was learning how to play botchy ball from a few of the kids.

Edward looked over at Jude. Her striking black hair was sitting in front of her face, hiding any emotion that might have been in her eyes. He watched her take a painfully slow step forward, like her joints needed oil or something.

Then a breeze came over the camp.

It swept Jude's hair out of her face, showing the angry scowl on her angular face.

Edward tried to speak before she could run off. "Jude he's a bastard. Don't worry—"

"Maggie! Sue! Wait up for me!" Jude ignored Edward and ran off with the two elderly women. She didn't like facing emotions, or admitting that she was upset over an asshole. She took a pail from Sue and raced off ahead to the river.

Her mind was too erratic for Edward to read. It reminded him of Alice, and how she was the only one who had a good attempt at hiding things from him. Jude was a lot like Alice, now that he thought about it…

A sad feeling came over Edward. Thinking about his family made him feel guilty. How could he sit by and not care if they were ok? But he _did_ care, usually. He was miserable with them and miserable without them; there was no middle ground. He wasn't sure if he would want to live on an earth where he didn't have a group of people to relate to, who truly understood him. He wanted them around. Maybe he could connect with them somehow, if they were still in Forks…if Forks still exists…

_Alice would have protected them. She knows stuff._

Edward sighed loudly, rubbing the back of his neck where the sun was beating down hard on him. His skin was showing the flying colours of the rainbow through the glitter across his uncovered arms, flickering specks of light all over the sandy, dry ground. His "disco-like" quality was annoying at times when he just wanted to blend in with his surroundings, sink into the earth and never be seen again. Maybe that's what Bella was thinking; he flicked his gaze up to the hybrid he was supposed to be keeping an eye on, only to discover she was no longer in her place on the rock up in the hill.

_Ugh! Bella…_he couldn't take how this hybrid made him sit on the edge of his seat.

He stood slowly, his eyes fixing on the edge of the slope where the rocks got a bit steeper and drove into the mountainside. It took him only five seconds to scan the area to find Bella, off to the right, descending the hill at a run.

She looked like she was going to fall from the way her legs were pounding into the ground, her arms trying to keep her balance. He had the strongest urge to run up and catch her, protect her from herself and her carelessness.

But Edward's feet kept planted to the ground, his eyes curiously fixated on Bella. Her smirk on her face, just below her wide eyes, told him she didn't know he was watching her, and also, that she knew what she was doing.

Therefore she didn't need his help. She was independent, and he was _just_ realizing that.

Bella didn't need anyone's help. She just wanted to run, not think, and concentrate on not falling. And she was doing fine; the bottom was coming up, the fastest part over, and her heart was no longer jammed up in her throat.

The hard part was over.

But then she saw Edward, his eyes planted on her, watching like a hawk.

Time stood still.

-x-

Edward was there, keeping his distance, just like the night when she had met him. His eyes were curious, like he wanted to investigate something further, but his feet remained planted.

Bella couldn't believe it. He wasn't rushing in to ruin her moment, like an overprotective jerk, and the way he was staring at her like a junior high boy with a crush…it made her lose her thoughts.

And it was at this particular moment, where her head was blurry and her breath was coming up short, that she made eye contact with him, forfeiting her sense of gravity and tripping.

The slow motion aspect went away.

Time sped up to include the ground coming up too quickly, her knees finding the hard surface before the palms of her hands did. Little rocks and pebbles painfully jammed their way through the skin, forcing Bella to fold onto the right side of her body to remove the pain from her hands.

That was equally as painful for her body. Gravity dragged her down the rest of the hill, until she slammed into a rock, flipping her right over it and onto her stomach.

Then it was over.

Bella let out a gush of air before opening her eyes. She was still alive, and the pain was already subsiding. The adrenaline rush was gone too, and that made her turn over onto her back and groan.

Not because of the tingling on her side, but because of the vampire she had to look up at.

Edward was standing over her, and the curious look that had been on his face was gone. Panic coated his eyes, his jaw was hard, and his mouth was twitching, like he had something to say but couldn't place the words.

"Don't say anything, I'm fine." Bella stood up quickly and brushed her jeans off, even though it was ridiculous to even try and get the mud stains out. She was embarrassed; she looked like a fool and knew she was being childish the way she was running down a slippery slope, both figuratively and literally. "I don't need your help." She shoved past him, expecting the push and pull she usually experienced around him. She pushed, he pulled…except that didn't happen this time.

She stopped in place, slowly turning around.

He was wearing a white shirt, or what used to be a white shirt, dark khaki pants that were loose around his small waist, and military boots that were untied, like he had gotten dressed in a hurry, not looking outside to see it was hotter than the sun.

She smiled to herself, looking to the ground for words that she didn't know how to say. Should she thank him for not acting like her father, or should she apologize for being dumb?

No. She wasn't the apologizing type. Instead, she didn't say anything. He probably had something to say, and that's why she waited.

_Edward, come on…say something…_it was only a matter of time, she thought.

She waited. And waited…

Nothing happened. He was still standing still, the silence eating away at her.

Bella finally glanced up, only to see him staring at her still. But instead of the panic that had been on his face from before, he had cooled off, and the curiosity was back! He looked like a kid; his eyebrows were stuck together in a frown, like he was studying tricky calculus, and his mouth was in the beginnings of turning to a grin.

He looked like himself.

Bella had forgotten about _this_ Edward. The "oh-so-annoyingly-stubborn-cut-off-to-the-world" Edward. There was mystery behind his eyes, there were questions that didn't have answers in the shape of his mouth, and there was confidence and anger all wrapped up in the length of his jaw that was never ending.

She stared back at him like a fool. Drinking him in for her memory's sake. She _liked_ this type of Edward. No, she loved this type of Edward.

Bella looked over his shoulder to the blue sky, finally breaking the stare off between them. And it was here, in the openness of the environment around her, that she found some words to scramble together for him. "You know I just do things because I want to. I'm not used to having a choice. It's all new to me."

He didn't say anything. In fact, he didn't even move. He was the stillest vampire she had ever seen, and this sent shivers up her spine.

He was doing something to her. _It's his eyes_, she told herself, _they've always given me issues. _She pulled some of her hair out of her face, revealing some dirt and mud that she hadn't realized was one her face.

Edward was holding back a grin. He was getting it all now; how could he not when the evidence had come up and hit him in the face— Bella wanted to explore, learn new things, see new things, to _just be_. And that was ok! If he had just been released from jail, the first thing he would want to do is have an experience. It all made sense.

He spoke up finally. "I understand that now. Well, as much as I can, anyway. I don't know what you went through with your old group, and I'm not sure I want to know. But," he hesitated slightly, running his hand through his hair, "I get it."

Bella let out a gush of air. She was used to having to explain herself, and here he was giving her the opportunity to not have to open her mouth and talk about things she didn't want to talk about.

It made her feel good. So good that she felt she needed to tell him something anyway. "You know…" Bella looked at her feet, where her Chucks had holes and rips to represent her past life, "I thought about you sometimes. When I was…_away_." It felt right, to tell him this now. It had to be obvious by now.

Edward shifted, and his jaw tightened so that his face no longer held curiosity, but a sort of longing. He had been waiting to hear this, to know that his thoughts for her were not all for nothing. "I thought about you everyday— every _second_ of everyday."

Bella looked up. She smiled out of the corner of her mouth, her eyes keeping in contact with his. "Me too."

He couldn't help himself. His face fell into a huge smile, and then he laughed. "You always were self centered."

Bella stared at him, a glare coming across her face. She knew he was messing with her, but it was still irritating to even joke about that. "No, you asshole." She took two steps forward, and slapped him quickly across his face.

His reaction didn't please her either. He began to laugh even harder, not even feeling the hit apparently.

"Stop laughing. You know what, I only thought about you so much because of the relief of being away from you." Bella turned to leave his mocking laughter, but this time, when she pushed him away, she got the pull she had been waiting for.

Edward didn't let Bella get away. He quickly grabbed onto her waist, spun her around in his arms, and planted a kiss on her unwillingly lips. Bella tried pulling away out of anger at first, but after five seconds, she didn't care anymore.

He pulled away first, grinning hugely.

She didn't like that mocking grin; it was annoying. Bella slapped him again, trying to wipe it off his face, but he only trapped her with his arms, pulling her tightly to his torso. Their lips were pressed together again, the lightening shocks running through their bodies.

Bella pulled away this time, getting a frustrated growl out of Edward. She smirked, and tried to take a step away from him.

Edward didn't want to let her go. As annoying and hot headed as this wild hybrid was, he was given the chance to be close to her; the wall was down, and he was going to take advantage of it, even if he got slapped and pushed in the process. It was a playful side he had never experienced before.

Bella tugged his hands away from her waist, thinking that would deter him, but Edward repositioned them to her wrists, tugging her close to his chest. Bella laughed when she saw the gleaming look in his eyes, like he wasn't going to let her go; she was up for a good fight.

Edward died every time she smiled. It was a rare thing, and that's why he was drawn to kiss her again. He felt so light. She had that kind of affect on him, and it was more than physical attraction; she was _the one_ that made him feel things that no one ever could.

Bella smiled under the kiss, pulling away slightly. As good as it felt to let herself go and fall for the attractive Edward Cullen in front of her, she had a side of her that wanted to make him plead.

But he didn't plead. He simply dropped one of her wrists and placed his hand on the back of her head, locking his fingers in her hair, and pulled her tighter to his face.

Bella didn't let herself fall victim to the butterflies in her stomach or her heart that was telling her to let this happen. Just as his face fell towards hers again, his eyes wildly dark, she smiled to herself, and threw her hand towards his face, in the form of a closed fist.

She intended to punch him, just to get him angry; if only she remembered he was a quick vampire.

Edward caught her fist before she could even come close to his face, holding it tightly in front of them. He didn't let go; instead, he grinned. "I may not be able to read your mind, but you're pretty predictable."

Bella yanked her hand away from him, and took a step away from him. "Am I?" She cocked an eyebrow at him and breathed in and out heavily.

Edward took in a breath as well; he found her incredibly attractive at the moment.

"Well…" she turned her back to him, pretending to walk away, and just as he took a step forward to stop her, she spun around to try and punch him _again_.

He trapped her fist easily again with his hand, and caught the second one that flew towards the side of his head. She growled, kicking the dirt on the ground towards his feet.

"You have good reflexes," she admitted. "Who knew?"

"You have a temper. I can always count on that." He dropped her wrists, letting them fall to the sides of her body.

"You're smiling." She reached out to pinch one of his cheeks, but he swatted her hand away, giving her a look out of the corner of his eye. "Oh come on now Edward, it's OK to smile. Smiling means you're happy."

He stopped smiling, his gaze catching hers. "I am happy. Aren't you?"

She wasn't sure. She didn't know what happiness was. Was it the feeling you got when you felt relief? Was it the feeling of calm when regret was gone? Was it being here, safe, and not dead?

The last one had to be it. "I'm sure I am. It's hard to tell. Everything is less dark when you're not surrounded by people you shouldn't be surrounded by." She shifted her footing, running a hand over the inside of her other arm. That's when Edward got the glimpse of her tattoo, the only dark thing on her perfect skin.

Bella noticed, and covered the visible skin immediately with the sleeve of her hoodie, regretting her past coming in between them for the hundredth time.

It's funny how quickly the atmosphere can change, all from one little insignificant marking. The playful mood was gone, and the tension was back; but it wasn't the kind of tension that made you long for something or dig through to find out what was on the other side. It was the kind that made doors shut, and walls rise.

Bella fidgeted with the sleeve of her hoodie, her thoughts going every direction in her head. She managed to catch one and speak it out loud. "Can you tell that I'm a hybrid?" She peered into his eyes, the light gold taking her back to the same night they always did; when he gave her a new life. "Like besides the tattoo obviously." Bella was sweating, but not only from the heat. She was nervous. She got that way when she had to talk about serious subjects.

"You look and smell completely human. I hadn't even realized who you were when I found you that night. You're more human than any of them back at camp." Edward didn't know why she was getting nervous all the sudden, but he still reassured her anyway.

Bella nodded, even though she wanted to sigh in relief and take his hand and walk into the sunset that didn't exist.

Back when she was living in Alaska, and Edward didn't exist in her world, she would have hated to hear that she was human. She remembered her dream to be a vampire, a super hero; to be as strong as Emmett, as beautiful as Rosalie, and to live as long as Carlisle had. To be something more was her absolute dream, and to live forever was beyond a wish; and then it had all happened so quick. The person that told her that her desires _were_ true happened to be someone she shouldn't have trusted.

She knew that now. She also knew now that to be human was more desirable than to be vampire.

"I'm glad. I don't want to leave this place. If they find out…" She didn't finish. She didn't need to. They both knew what would happen.

"I can protect you. I _will_ protect you," he said, his eyes raking over her face.

Bella smiled. "I know. And that's what I'm afraid of. Your chances of finding something to live for in this world shouldn't be ruined by being tied to me," Bella sighed. "You can't worry about me—" Edward cut her off. He had taken her face in between his hands and leaned in so that his forehead touched hers, their lips an inch apart.

"I've found something to live for, and you are that thing." He leaned forward and brushed his lips on the side of her mouth, light enough to barely call it a kiss at all. Then he let her go, his hands falling to the side of his body, his feet putting a few steps between his desire. "It's unfair for you to tell me not to worry about you." He looked over her shoulder, where back at the camp, humans were suspiciously watching them. "You can't ask that of me, it's simply impossible with the way I feel about you."

Unspoken words were supposed to remain unspoken. That was Bella's belief. That way you could never make something official; you could dance around the facts, flirt with temptation, and never admit to anything. She had been taught to avoid connections, avoid saying too much, and avoid vampires that weren't on the same page as her.

But she _was_ on the same page as Edward. She worried about him too—more than she should. Like when she was in Italy, lying in her bed at night thinking whether or not he was OK, and if so, if he was lying somewhere far away, doing just the same thing for her.

"Bella say something." He was pleading now. He didn't like the way her eyes were wandering all over the place, her jaw hard, her arms loose at her sides.

"I wish I wasn't a runner. If I could, I'd take back all the times I ran away." She pulled her fingers through her hair, nearly ripping it out of the roots. "Like when we were in Alaska— well not you, but our family— I had it all, and I didn't even realize it! I should have stayed, and then maybe I could have met you later on in life. I know I would have met you eventually. Don't you?"

"Probably."

She dropped her hands from her hair, a breeze blowing it around her head. She tucked the loose strands behind her ears and rocked back on her feet. "But I didn't know, and that's why it took twenty years for me to find out how stupid I was. Then I was given a second chance by you, and I ran…_again_." Images of James telling her to return to Italy were fresh in her mind, and the consequence if she didn't still burned her throat. But in the end, he _still_ took her best friend away from her anyway. "Why can't I just do things for myself? Not worry about everyone else around me, and just do what I want? Maybe then I wouldn't have killed my best friend."

Edward took a step forward. "What are you talking about Bella?"

Bella had never spoken of Victoria to him. She didn't speak of her to anyone, not even Demetri.

"It doesn't matter what I'm talking about. What matters is that I can make my own decisions now, and I choose to stay here, make a life now, and to never go back to my past."

Edward took in a breath, feeling relief. "Can you promise me that?"

"Yeah I can. I promise. I hate them. They destroyed me. And I see that now. I don't belong there. I belong here, with the thing that I can start my life over with."

Edward nodded. "I'm happy to hear that," he took a step away from her. "This group will give you that." Then he left her alone, heading towards his tent so that he _too_ could be alone.

Bella stared after him, but didn't chase. That was one thing she still hadn't gotten over; she may be a runner, but she was never a chaser. That's why she let him walk away, knowing very well that he had gotten her words mixed up.

_He_ was the one thing she lived for…not this stupid place.

**-x-**

_**1 year ago**_

Jude looked up from her book, closing the ratted novel on a page where the moonlight was streaming in through her window. It was 3am in the morning at her parents log home, where the only soul awake was her cat Benny, who was peering at her from his spot beside her pillow. Jude didn't notice his gaze on her; she was staring up at the oak wood panels of her ceiling, counting the dark knots in the wood to distract her mind in the hopes that sleep would find its way through her cozy bedroom.

She was a restless night owl. She had always been that way. Lucky for her, at the age of ten, she had discovered how to slip out of her second story bedroom window without ever being caught by her overprotective parents.

Jude slowly removed the quilt from her legs and crawled out of her bed, creeping quietly to the window she looked out each and every night.

But it was never the same scene playing out before her eyes when she looked out to the world behind the glass. That was the beauty of living on a cattle ranch; although secluded to the rest of the world, it was serene, comforting, and ever changing.

Outside, the horses were sleeping, and the cattle were herded in for the cold night of 15 degrees, which was typical temperatures for an Alberta summer; hotter in the day, colder at night.

Jude looked back at her cat, whose eyes became slits instantly at her longing look. He looked like he was warning her, telling her "Hey, I'm not covering for you this time". Jude turned back to the window and slid her fingers under the slit that she left open each night, making it easier for her to sneak out without a disturbance.

The glass didn't squeak as she lifted the paneled window up. She had mastered the art of escape; wearing flannel PJs with wool socks, using her dresser as leverage, and finding proper foot holes in the wood when descending the log home were all preparations she had learnt through experience.

Shoes were never an option; they were to be left in the entrance way of their home, in order to avoid tracking mud on the floors. Her mums rule, not hers, so that's why she was walking in soft feet towards the barn in the back parts of her father's land. Over 100 acres that she had explored over and over again through the years, never getting bored of the same dry grass, the same barrels of hay, or the same open land.

She knew her way towards the barn, even in the dark. She followed the same route every night, taking the long way in order to enjoy the cold nip of the air on her bare arms. But the walk wasn't long enough; she arrived at the barn in ten minutes, witnessing the same lock on the sliding bay door she always did. That's because her father began locking the barn a few months ago, thinking squatters had taken up temporary residence in what used to be a bare barn, now littered with random man made objects.

Jude looked over her shoulder, an eerie feeling of eyes watching her. But that was ridiculous; there weren't neighbours for miles and miles. She just didn't want to get caught breaking into her own property, something that would raise eyebrows, especially from her dad.

The secret to breaking into the barn was a rope on the backside, where thirty feet up, the hay loft was open to the world to climb through. One just needed to have strong hands and strong arms; Jude was strong from the practise of it all. It only took her two minutes to climb it, swing herself into the open barn top, and then let go, falling into a bail of hay thirty feet below, which was strategically placed for this.

Except the landing was harder than normal. The hay didn't come around her in piles like it normally did, covering her head and pillowing her body from the dirt floor.

No. Instead two strong arms had shot out just as her body touched the hay, colliding with hers, and shooting her and the other body off the hay bundle and onto the dirt ground.

Defense mode set in, taking over her body and mind to protect herself from apparently what her father had been right about all along.

"What the fuck!" Jude turned her body away from the body that she felt near her own, putting distance between herself and the unknown before grabbing a rusty pitchfork off the far wall of the barn, and turning back around to face the intruder.

It was a boy, maybe her age, maybe a bit older, holding his hands out in front of him to show he meant no harm. He was dressed in neutral colours, mainly grays and khaki greens, colours that nature only made, and army men only knew how to pull off.

Jude tightened her hold on the pitch fork, pointing the dull edges towards the boy. "You're messing with the wrong girl tonight, bud. I own this place— my dad will kill you if you touch me."

The boy raised his hands slightly, taking a step into the moonlight that was emitting through the hole in the top of the barn.

All it took was one step, a gleam from his eyes, and then three little words Jude had been waiting five years to hear. "It's me Jude."

Her heart stopped.

She couldn't catch her mind, it began to scramble up if this was reality or a fantastic dream. This was the memory lane she had thought about every day, where she had dreamed of a certain boy with eyes bluer than her own returning to her one day, just like he said he would.

She dropped the pitch fork when he removed his tuke, revealing his dark messy hair and more space on his face for her eyes to wander.

"See?" He slapped the side of his face roughly on either side, and then pulled his hand through his messy hair, making it stand up in the back where dirt was sticking to the sweat. "I haven't changed that much.

"Austin." Then she fainted, for the first time in her 18 years of life.

_**Present day, Utah. 5pm**_

"I know you're behind me. I am a vampire, after all."

Bella stepped out of the woods, no longer in her hiding place behind the tree branches. She hadn't intended to come across _him_ at the watering hole; she had wanted to be alone, think things through. But since she was here now, it only made sense to get rid of their introductions to each other. They couldn't avoid it forever.

"How have you been, Young Bella?" Jones was sitting on a boulder, throwing pieces of a stick into the water, looking bored.

Bella cringed at the name, but put on a blank face for him. "Lovely. What about you Jones?" Then she smiled slyly. "Still running scared I see."

He laughed. "I was just about to say that about you."

"I may be running, but I'm not scared."

"Careful Bella, I might catch you in a lie."

"Careful Jones, I might tell everyone the things you've done."

"And I, all of yours."

They stared at each for a minute or two, sizing the other up. Bella didn't know why once upon a time she had been frightened of him; she could see now he was only a piece of shit vampire. If she really needed to, she could protect herself from him.

Or better yet, Edward could protect her from him; like he had promised her.

And as if on cue, Jones spoke next. "Who's the boy that's following you around like a puppy dog?"

Bella put her hood up next, liking the feeling of something covering her from his gaze. "You don't remember Demetri? That's just pathetic."

"Of course I remember Demetri. We never got along, I remember that."

"Then I don't know what you're talking about."

"You don't notice the bronze haired kid following you around? Because he sure as hell notices you. Funny how quick we can get to know other people out here, isn't it? It's like people have known each other in past lives or something."

Bella didn't comment on that. She switched the topic. "Kind of like how you used to follow me around, except Edward does it because he's looking out for me, and you do it because you're obsessed."

"And I'm not in love with you."

Bella blinked, and then laughed, shaking her head at him. _Edward doesn't love me, _she told herself. "No shit. You were torturing me to death."

"I was curious about your abilities, that's all. Hybrids are very extraordinary."

"So I've heard."

"That's why it will be harder for you to hide than me. There's no point for _them_ to look for me…but for you…you're still useful."

"I wouldn't say that."

"I would. Hybrids weren't just being gathered up to fight with, you know."

"No, I don't know. What are you saying?"

"Haven't you ever wondered why there weren't as many of you around? Why you were a lonely little hybrid in a world of vampires and humans."

"No. There were others…"

"In the beginning there were, sure. A few stray ones here and there. And when they weren't good enough, they joined the rest of their pack."

Bella stood still, but she was still listening.

"Hybrids are useful for one thing and one thing only. Do you know what that is Bella? Do you?"

She didn't answer.

"They can't die. That way they replenish themselves when they're nearly drained."

Bella turned to face him. "What? You mean there are hybrids back in that place, willingly being food for vampires that don't give a shit about them? Why would they do that!"

"They wouldn't _willingly_ do anything, you fool. They can't get out! You remember how it all happened, what you were told to join the organization. Only you were lucky, and you had a gift of strength when you were angry enough. Your fate wasn't one of theirs, so you were given your tattoo, and you earned your place."

"That's disgusting."

"Not really. Humans were going to die. We knew it so we came up with something to replace them. Problem solved if we were careful enough; can't drain them out _all the way_ or they die."

"That's still disgusting."

"You should be lucky for the day I gave you that number **15**. It gave you a chance to live, a chance for 6 more numbers to be inked into your skin."

"Well I hate my tattoo. It's a reminder of the bullshit I have walked through, and if I could, I'd cut off my arm to get rid of it."

"If you put it that way, sure. Of course I am sorry for it _now_. I'd want to get rid of it too if I were in your position."

Bella didn't understand. "You _do_ have one. It's just like mine, only the numbers are different."

"Except everyone has seen mine. They all know my story. And I'm not a hybrid."

"Good for you." Bella had enough of him. She began to walk away, until suddenly, he was back in front of her, blocking her way.

"They accept me. They won't accept you. Especially if the vampires find out…"

Bella was about to ask why the fuck vampires would give two scents about her, until she put it all together for herself.

She could be their chance for a real diet…one that lasted forever and ever and ever…

"Well that won't happen." She wasn't sure who she was trying to reassure; him or herself.

"For as long as you have that tattoo, it just might. If they find out you're a hybrid, you're screwed."

"Thank you. I don't need you to tell me that. I know. Now get the hell out of my way."

"What if I were to tell you there was a way to get rid of it?"

"I was only kidding about the chopping off my arm idea, and I don't need your help." She shoved him out of her face and walked out of the clearing. But ten feet later, just when she thought she was losing him, he was yelling after her.

"Heads up Bella!"

"What do you want—" She turned just in time to see a small silver casing flying towards her face. She reached out and caught it. "What's this for?" She stared down at the silver case. It was a few inches long, and had a nice stainless steel look to it.

It was a lighter.

She flipped open the top and shut it quickly, the metal making a light clinking sound.

"Figure it out yourself, like you said, you don't need my help." He spoke from a distance, not coming near her.

And when she looked up for an answer, she was standing alone in the pathway, trees and the watering hole in front of her.

"Asshole," she breathed, tucking the lighter into her pocket and walking back to camp.

She would have to find a use for it later.

-x-

**Recap:**

In this chapter, Edward sees that Bella is basically like a kid who no longer has his or her parents bossing them around. He understands that if he were in her case, he would want to be free, try things out, make his own mistakes, and see what works for him. He gets it now. And because he gets it now, Bella gets him. They are connecting folks!

As for Jude...

The chuck in the middle of this chapter was from her past life, before the apocalypse. She lived on a farm in Alberta with her family, where apparently she felt very lonely, and sought seclusion in an old barn on her father's huge property. This is where she is reconnected with an old friend…Austin, and is so shocked of seeing him that she faints.

As for Bella…

In the last part of this chapter, she goes off to be alone (typical) and comes across Jones. They chat it up, where he tells her that she should be worried because of her hybrid status, and that she is something valuable to other vampires who want to quench their thirst for the real deal. Then he tells her there is a way to get rid of her tattoo, but she denies his help, and leaves.

But before she leaves, he throws a lighter at her, telling her to figure out it's use on her own.

What could that mean? Find out next chapter! WWoooooO!

**A/N:** Long ass chapter, I know. I decided to make a long one because I'm not sure when I will be available to update next. But when I am done exams, I hope to get some more time in for this. Thanks everyone!

**Song: Jump Then Fall by Taylor Swift**


	17. Stars Are Blind

**Disclaimer:** I only write with Stephenie Meyer's characters; I don't own them.

**Chapter 17:** Stars Are Blind

"_Even though the Gods are crazy,  
Even though the stars are blind,  
If you show me real love baby,  
I'll show you mine." _– Paris Hilton

**-x-**

**1 year ago, **_**continued…**_

Austin stared in shock at the girl lying in the dirt; the one he had traveled miles and miles to see again, just like he said he would.

"Jude," he hesitated for a second, looking around the barn for advice on what to do next. He wasn't used to making decisions; he always had someone else to do that for him.

He settled on walking across the barn, getting the chance to drink in her beauty while he took slow steps towards her, not wanting to startle her again in case she awoke suddenly. But she remained completely still, even when he stopped in front of her and cleared his throat to wake her. He nudged her elbow with his military boot next, but still, there wasn't a response from the dark haired wonder.

"You're killing me Jude," he bent down and shook her by the shoulders, lightly at first, but when she didn't open her eyes, he began to get frustrated, "Juuuude…" his fingers rounded the toned muscles of the top of her arms, and because he didn't know what else to do, he began to lift her.

Her eyes flickered open when he had half her body in his arms, the cool blue color shocking the shit out of him.

"Jesus Christ," he dropped her, forgetting humans were a bit more fragile, and fell back onto his ass. He quickly got back up into a kneeling position when she swore. He picked up on swearing too, apologizing between the profanities between them. "Sorry, I'm so sorry! I didn't know what –" he cut himself off when she suddenly sprung forward and tackled him, catching him by surprise. No one ever caught him off guard- that's why he wasn't used to the feeling of his gut being twisted and knotted at the moment when her arms wrapped around his neck.

She was hugging him. Tight.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and stood, lifting her off the ground, and encasing her body in his. He had never hugged her before, as hugging wasn't something young teenagers did; it was that age of awkwardness. But this wasn't awkward at all. He didn't want to let her go.

But he did when she began to slide her arms down his, removing herself from him. His heart actually slowed back down to its regular pace, allowing him to take in a breath finally.

"Austin you've grown up," she circled him, taking in his appearance greedily and smiling hugely when he turned around to face her again. She stared at his face, finding the similarities in it from his younger self, and then finding new qualities that she was already stumbling over- like his hard jaw line, and three days growth. He was perfect still. "And what, you're…10 now? 12 maybe?" She grinned when he smirked, looking to his feet out of embarrassment.

"Yah something like that," he mumbled, taking his tuke out of his pocket and putting it back on his head. It covered his dark hair and eyebrows. Thankfully, he didn't look 12, because he certainly didn't feel it. That was the beauty of being a hybrid; you matured quickly, mind, body, _and_ soul. "I look about the same age as you still, I'd say…" he started to walk around her, taking in her appearance; she had been 14 the last time he had seen her, as he too had looked at the time. In fact, the first time he met her, he had been a lost little boy in the world, running wild, and she was his first friend, even though he was technically half her age. "You look the same."

Jude chuckled lowly. "You sound like my mum when you say that. She says I'm still the same little girl I was ten years ago, and that's why I still have to dry the dishes and feed the chickens- they're chores, but not ones that show I've grown up."

"You don't want to grow up, trust me. Peter Pan was right; being a little boy forever is the way to go."

"I am grown up- I'm more grown up than you."

It was tense now. The barn was getting tight, the air thick. Jude could see her breath as she breathed heavy.

"Experience makes the person. I've seen things." He said lowly to himself, but Jude heard him clear enough.

Jude threw her hands up. "Enlighten me, Mr. Philosopher," she stepped to the side and leaned on the barn wall, gazing up into his blue eyes from an angle, getting lost.

His mouth twitched, and then he was back peddling to fast for Jude to catch. "I can't. I'm apart of something that won't allow me to even be here with you right now- which was stupid of me to even come here in the first place."

Jude stopped breathing momentarily. Her heart shook with fear. His words were bringing her back to her memories; the bad ones, which involved a lonely hybrid, lost in a world, looking for a place to call his. "What the hell are you talking about?" She knew what he was talking about. That group. That group that took him away from her. "You mean you joined that stupid –"

"It's not stupid! And God, Jude you're supposed to pretend you don't know shit all about it. I was young and naïve when I got the notice about the recruit, and I shouldn't have told you. I know this now, so please, for your own protection, don't talk about –"

"The Guard?" Jude pushed herself off the wall and came up in front of his face. She shoved his chest; an action to get his attention. "Well if it's so fine and dandy, you shouldn't have come and seen me. I mean, my fuck, you put it off long enough!"

"I know…I was debating on whether or not I should see you. They wouldn't allow this Jude…us being friends…seeing each other…I wish it were different, but it's not. I thought about you from time to time, well, more than that actually, and since we were in the area this month…well…here I am."

Jude laughed. No humour to it though. "Area of convenience. So I'm the pit stop. Lovely. Want a home cooked meal? A doggie bag? Maybe a place to fill your tank –"

"Yah you're hilarious Jude. Who would have thought the sweet innocent girl would have grown up into a smart ass _bitch_."

Jude froze. "Exactly. I've grown up. That's the fucking point. We both have, you more than me. I see that now. You're no longer the little wandering boy from Austin, Texas. You're one of _them_. You shouldn't have come here. You've ruined the images of the boy I thought I liked."

"Yah but I came to warn you!" He was done listening to her nonsense. He has less and less time as the minutes ticked on. Something was dying on the inside of him to be said, even though it was a forbidden secret.

Jude looked at him, noticing his breathing had picked up in rhythm, and his hands were in fists.

"Something bad is going to happen on December 12th this year. And I can't say what."

Jude rolled her eyes. "Oh my god, not you too! If I hear my parents talk about that date one more time, I'm going to kill myself. It's a folk tale, a myth!"

"It's not a fucking myth! It's actually true! And the Volturi Guard knows it! It's the perfect chance for them to get the upper hand on humans, kill them off with a natural occurrence- one that only the superstitious will live through."

"Well I'm not superstitious. I don't believe in that shit."

"But you believed me when I told you something was different with me. A fourteen-year-old trouble maker was telling you tales of only living on the earth for a few years, and _that_ you believed? That's a double standard right there –"

"It is not! This is different. You proved to me you weren't normal, and when that vampire showed up and told you about stuff, I believed it completely."

"Because you trusted me."

Jude shrugged. She did. "Yah."

"Then trust me now. I'm not a vampire, or a human, but you can trust a hybrid that is telling you something isn't right about this date. It's like an apocalypse or something, and you need to protect yourself."

Jude heard him loud and clear. She needed to protect _herself_. Not _him_ protect her. She was the only thing she could depend on, it seemed. "You're not staying."

"You know I can't."

Jude moved in front of him, taking his hand in hers. His hand was rough, but soft at the same time, cool on the outside, and warm on the inside. He encased her hand in his, tightly at first, but then he let it go.

Austin pulled her into a hug- one that had no boundaries. He squeezed her to his body, not wanting to let go of the friend he only ever knew; one that meant so much more to him than he even realized.

They separated, longing and pain covering their eyes.

"Maybe you'll see me again?"

He shrugged. "Make sure you don't go moving on me, then yah, I'll be able to find you."

Jude nodded. "I'm not going anywhere. I love Alberta. It's where my family is. It's home."

He smiled. "I liked seeing you Jude. Please, think about what I said. You need to protect yourself."

"As long as you do too."

He laughed, taking a few steps away from her. "Oh please, you're the human being here. I have unlimited years here. Nothing's going to stop me from living." He winked at her, the moon catching his glorious blue eyes.

"As long as you can promise me that." She was half kidding. She wanted to live in a world where she could think about the possibility of a hybrid wondering around outside her bedroom window, popping in every now and then.

"I promise."

-x-

_**Moab, Utah.**_** Present day.**

Chicken noodle soup was something Jude was extremely sick of. Same with tomato soup, and mushroom soup. If it was soup, she was sick of it. She couldn't understand why the boys had only managed to grab can after can of bullshit soup from the abandoned gas station on their last trip away from the camp. Was there no such thing as normal food out there anymore?

Jude couldn't stand it anymore. When she lifted the wooden spoon to taste the thick gunky soup from the pot, she wasn't even able to take a single sip before she lost her shit. Jude swore, throwing the stupid spoon to the right of her, and kicking the pot of soup off the coals.

It felt good to spill something, ruin a meal, and she was about to keep going on her destruction when someone came up behind her, catching her off guard. "Jesus Christ, what did the soup ever do to you?" the voice asked, to which Jude spun around to face the girl with the dark eyes.

Bella stared at Jude, recognizing the anger in her eyes. She wasn't going to judge her for letting go of her control and blacking out for a second, because sometimes that was the only thing that made the pain go away. Instead, she offered the girl she barely knew some words of wisdom, which she didn't have much of. "Just so you know, you shouldn't take it out on the soup. Life sucks, but ruining supper for everyone else isn't cool."

Jude laughed, shaking her head and looking at the ground for comfort. Bella recognized that too. God, was this girl her carbon copy or something?

"Anyway, I'm starving, and I would love some food. Where can I get some?"

Jude sighed, forgetting her moment of troubles and nodded over towards Mike's tent. "The food is near his tent. Mostly in it, too. He's a selfish bastard. He doesn't trust us, when really, we shouldn't be trusting him."

"Pssh." Bella straightened up, looking over at the lone tent, the zipper of it's entrance open. "I'm hungry though, and if I have to go through Mike to get food—" she stopped herself. Trouble wasn't what she wanted. She didn't want to go near Mike. "Never mind. I'll go find some myself. How far off is this gas station?"

Jude laughed. "A day or two trip away. It's not just around the corner. Plus, there isn't much left there anyway. We've drained it."

Bella swore. "Well fuck me sideways. What do you guys do for food?"

Jude turned the pot back over onto the coal, managing to save a spoonful of soup, not even enough for the dogs. "We get it from the others."

Bella lifted her eyebrows. "Others. Who are they?"

"People, like us, apart of The Resistance. They travel around like us."

Bella laughed in her head, not realizing she had had options before, more choices for a better life than she had thought.

"There are a bunch of groups. And we help each other out from time to time. Like a trading post, I guess."

Bella blinked. "And what's the point of groups?"

Jude laughed. "Wow you really have no idea what The Resistance is, do you?" Jude gave up on salvaging the soup, and turned to look into the staring eyes of the brown eyed girl in front of her. "Not that you would know anyway, I guess…"

Bella swallowed.

"Well, you've heard of The Guard."

"Yes." Bella nodded slowly, not saying anything further. She was already uncomfortable with where this was going.

"We hate them."

Bella sighed. She knew that much.

"Are you lost?"

"No. Go on."

"Ok, well, we're kind of the last hope for human kind. They wanted to destroy everyone, which doesn't even make sense for them. Where else are you going to get your food supply?"

Bella realized Jude was clueless. Jones must not talk openly to his group members like he had with her.

"Anyway, if we stick together, we can resist them taking us off the planet. Vampires and humans coming together can do that. The Guard still has their wishes of ruling the world. Alone."

"You can't know that."

Jude looked at Bella sideways. "No I can't. But…they might."

Maybe it was just the sun high in the sky, or the hot humidity floating around, but for a split second Bella's tattoo inched on her arm, the skin screaming at her for attention. Bella reached for the sleeve of her hoodie and tugged it past her hand, nervous that even that movement alone would raise the eyebrows of Jude.

It didn't. Instead, Jude changed the subject. Unfortunately, it was a subject Bella didn't want to venture onto either.

"You and Edward seem to be turning into friends." Jude looked up under her dark eyelashes at Bella, who was blinded by the blueness of the orbs coming from two feet in front of her.

Bella chuckled lightly, touching her wrist where the tattoo that wasn't supposed exist sat, no longer itching from her nervousness. She placed her hands in her hoodie pocket, where in the center her fingers rounded over the cool metal of the lighter Jones had tossed her way. She flipped the cap over and closed it as Jude continued poking.

"He's been with us for a couple months, but he's never come around to get to know any of the people." Jude unzipped her sweater and tugged if off to reveal her a fairly clean purple shirt. Jude looked into Bella's face, looking over her hard angles, and closed off appearance. "That is until you."

Bella began to get nervous again, her skin itching hotly under the hoodie.

Jude began to notice her twitching, cocking her eye at the nervous kid. "Hey, chill out eh. It's nice. He's a good guy. But just know his heart belongs to some other girl."

Bella's attention picked up suddenly. "Huh? Why do you say that?"

Jude smiled. "I dunno…I could see it in his eyes when I first met him. Something was off…he was missing something." Jude backed away from Bella, looking of in the distance where she intended to go and hide for awhile from the other souls of the world. "But hey, he seems to have gotten over it now, and I think you're the reason."

Bella wanted to curl up and die…

Of _happiness_, that is. Because she had never felt so light before.

_So this is what that feels like_ she thought to herself. _About fucking time._

**-x-**

**1am**

Stars were something Bella had forgotten about in the sky. Sure they were always present, but it depended on whether you were blind to them or not, overlooking their brilliance.

She wasn't tonight. She saw every single one, bright and hopeful.

Bella stared out over the campsite, her eyes never stopping for more than just a second in case she fell victim to the heaviness of sleep. It was a quiet night, lots of stars, the moon hidden behind a blanket of darkness; her favourite kind of night to think.

She had been doing a lot of thinking today. Mostly of her past, and why she was lucky to have a memory of it at all. Her suicide attempt a life time ago had been a terrible mistake, one that led her back into the world she was trying to run away from.

Bella realized she needed to have a past in order to have a future. And even though her past was a little darker than the average Joe, she still had the opportunity to have a bright future; maybe with Edward.

She wanted to live; live with her bad memories, live with her few good ones, and let new memories into her life.

Bella saw herself with Edward. She always played the same vision in her head; she saw herself holding his hand, the two of them laughing at something she couldn't quite put her finger on, and then she would be running from him, except she would let him catch her into an intimate embrace.

It didn't have to be just a vision. It could be her reality. All she had to do was go and find him, tell him how much she thought about him, honestly, not just like a crush or lust filled romance novel.

Bella grinned to herself, realizing how cut off from her emotions she had been with Edward, and every aspect of her life. Now she was seeing it all clearly.

She loved him. _Loved_ him. Bella didn't even know what love was, but she knew it's what she felt for Edward. She felt sick when she wasn't around him, light headed when she was, happy when he caught her off guard, angry when he argued with her, and frustrated when he wouldn't leave her alone. It was simple chemistry; these elements created love, and Bella knew this finally.

Bella jumped up from her lonely spot on the hill, her head and heart finally on the same page. Instead of sitting back and waiting for something or someone else to write her story for her, she decided to take action for herself, and quickly descend the hill.

Fate stepped in though.

That's what sucks about intentions; they're over shadowed by fate. Fate is God, and he makes the plans. At the moment, he wasn't ready for Bella to confess her love for Edward, and that's why just as Bella slowed down her pace at the bottom of the steep hill, her lighter fell out of her pocket, catching her attention.

She stopped and picked up the silver lighter, remembering it had been sitting in her pocket this whole time, and annoyed at it's secrecy. It was like her tattoo, in a way, where she didn't exactly know how to treat it.

She took in a harsh breath when the answer came up so suddenly and struck her in the face, nearly pushing her to the ground. She fumbled with the lighter, managing to open the cap, the moonlight catching its silver edges.

Bella exhaled, knowing what she had to do, and then slowly inhaled when she flicked the lighter on, a spark creating a small flame. It danced above the silver box, a small light flickering on Bella's face, and illuminating her wide eyes.

She slowly brought it down to her exposed skin near her left wrist, where her sleeve was up enough to reveal her harsh tattoo. The lighter continued its slow descend, the heat ever so lightly creeping up on Bella's flesh.

Then it burned. Badly.

Bella sucked in, shutting her eyes tightly, and forcing her hand to keep the lighter against her other wrist.

_5…4…3…2…1…_

She opened her eyes and looked down breathlessly at her wrist, where moments ago an ugly tattoo laid neatly on her skin, only now, vacant skin lied.

"Oh my god…"

"Don't get your hopes up. It won't last forever. It gives you about a day or so, maybe longer, maybe not, of freedom."

Bella looked up to see Jones standing on the hillside where she had just been, whispering these facts to her in a voice her hybrid ears could only hear.

"Keep that lighter close, when it starts to come back, burn it away again."

Bella didn't say anything. She was too excited to come up with any mumble of words to explain her overjoyed feelings.

But Jones had more to say. "And if I were you, I'd start wondering what that Justin boy's intentions are…I don't exactly trust him. He's been wondering around too much lately. I can't keep track of him."

Bella could say something to that though. "He's harmless. Besides, your judgement was never that accurate anyway."

"Whatever, Bella. I'm just warning you."

"Jesus Christ Jones, you're the biggest piss off here. I was having a good fucking time right now until you came around and started talking. Now I can't even get my thoughts right."

"I'm sorry Bella but—"

"Screw you." Bella turned her back on him and walked past the camp, forgetting her intentions to confront her desire, and instead, becoming a puppet for fate, which led her to the watering hole.

Ever heard the saying 'the wrong place at the wrong time'? Bella certainly had, and that's what she thought to herself when she came upon an unfamiliar vampire holding Jude by the neck, another one staring in her direction, and an all too familiar one, lying on the ground.

The stars Bella stood under, as she processed the events playing out in front of her, were of little help to her now. She was in trouble.

"No—" the words left her mouth too late. Bella was introduced to a pounding hit to her head, the thump of her limp body hitting the ground, and her eyes closing to the last image across from her of the unconscious vampire she had forgotten about.

The stars saw none of this though, for they truly are blind.

-x-

**Recap:**

Bella loves Edward. WaHOOO! But Uh-oh, why are there unknown vampires hitting her unconscious at the watering hole, and what's Jude doing there? Is she ok!

Speaking of Jude…she has tough love feelings for Austin, and still isn't over the fact that he left her!

What is it with people leaving the people they could love? INSANE!

As for Bella's tattoo…it can be burned off- real shocker! Except that everyone already guessed that! Wooo! Except it can come back! HA! Caught you there, didn't I?

**A/N:** HAPPY NEW YEAR! If you want a preview of the next chapter, leave a sweet ass review, and I'll give you one!

**Song: Stars Are Blind by Paris Hilton **


	18. The Sweet Escape

**Disclaimer:** Twilight is awesome. I wish I thought of it, but I didn't. SM owns it all.

**Chapter 18:** **The Sweet Escape**

"_Come help me out. I need to get out of this joint." -Gwen Stefani_

**-x-**

Jones came across the dead vampire first. Pieces were everywhere, limbs stuck out from branches, and if he wasn't mistaken, a head was floating in the center of the pond.

"HELP! COME QUICK!" His voice carried over the forest, straight to the camp site that panicked vampires ran from to get to Jones' voice.

One of the panicked runners was Edward. Immediately he was thinking the worst case scenario. He hadn't seen Bella all evening.

"Jones, what is it?" An elderly woman was near by, and was the only human amongst the vampires who had rushed from the campsite. She was fearless, but mostly, her curiosity got the best of her. She regretted coming though once she and the rest of the vampires set foot into what was once a serene hideaway. "Oh my God." She covered her mouth and backed away, the sight of ripped up limbs being too much for her.

Edward was frozen. First from the fact that he knew who these limbs belonged to, but then when he realized he recognized a scent buried beneath all the other forest smells.

"Bella was here." Edward grabbed onto the collar of Jones' shirt, and yanked him until he was two inches from his face. "Start talking _now_," he growled.

Jones shoved Edward away from him and straightened his shirt. "I know as much as you do, my God!"

"Who is it?" The elderly woman nodded towards the half sunken head in the pond, but as it slowly floated to face her, she covered her face to hide from Demetri's eyes looking into her own.

"Demetri," Jones answered her. "Something bad happened here—"

"Well no shit!" the elderly woman yelled. She couldn't take it anymore. She stepped forward and went to slap Jones, only to be held back by another vampire. "Demetri didn't deserve this! He didn't know what he was getting into!"

"It's expected though. You are the resistance," Jones quoted from their motto.

Edward ground his teeth together, his hard glare set on Jones' face. He was trying to tell himself this wasn't Jones' fault, but seeing how unaffected the Doctor was at the moment made Edward snap. He grabbed onto Jones again, and shook him by the shoulders. "What does that even mean! You're insane!"

It took two vampires to pull Edward off Jones and then three to hold him still. Edward continued to thrash hard, and even harder when a breeze blew even more of Bella's scent into his face.

"The Guard have been sniffing around us lately. I've been trying to find a lead on them, but it's been difficult."

"What the hell! They've been near and you didn't tell us! What's the matter with you? I trusted you to protect us!" the elderly lady shoved Jones this time, but it did more damage to her sore wrists than his chest.

"It's fine. It's fine. This was bound to happen sometime," he said lowly, only to himself, as if he didn't have an audience. He seemed lost in his own world at the moment, looking no where in particular, in a daze.

Edward snarled at him, pulling his arms out of the vampires grasps, but instead of attacking Jones again, he turned to the elderly woman to speak. "When was the last time you saw them?"

The woman looked confused. "Them?"

"Jude and Bella!" Edward yelled.

The woman looked to Jones. "You're telling me two girls were taken. _Two,_ young, defenceless girls? That's on your shoulders now."

"No, it's on mine." Edward stepped in front of the lady, getting her attention again. "I can find them, bring them back." Whom he was trying to convince was unclear. Was it the group or himself?

Some of the vampires laughed, to which Edward growled.

"What makes you think they're still alive? The Guard wants one thing, and one thing only, and that's dead humans," a vampire off to the right spoke, crossing his arms like he knew something everyone didn't.

"What makes you think they're dead?" a voice asked from outside the clearing. Everyone turned their eyes to see Justin stepping into the area, his eyes noticeably dark, and his bandana covering his messy hair. "You can't know that for sure. No one can."

Edward didn't care that he hated Justin, or that he didn't trust him in the slightest bit. Since they happened to be both on the same page, he chose to overlook his bad qualities and offer a truce. "He's right. _This _group has one goal, and that's to _stay alive_. That's why we came together, and without members, we're nothing. We need to go and get them."

Jones stared into Edward's eyes, thinking his words through. Edward listened to Jones silent debate, scared and hopeful. But it didn't matter to Edward if people came or not; he was going after Bella and Jude; he didn't need an army, but it would sure as hell be easier with one.

"Fine."

Edward straightened his shoulders, surprised, but didn't question Jones' decision. He nodded back at him.

"I came across their scent a few days ago, on our last hunting trip. It started a couple miles away, head north." Jones pointed towards the significant star in the sky, which Edward would use to find his way, along with the scent of Bella and Jude. "You and Justin start out tonight, and I'll lead a small group at first day light."

Edward took in an unnecessary breath. It tasted of trees, his love, and Demetri's severed body. He looked over to the pond, along with a few other brave eyes, and cleared his throat. "What about…" he nodded towards the floating head, and then looked to Jones.

Jones sighed lowly, averting his gaze to the ground, where lying in between his feet and Edward's, was an arm…with twitching fingers.

Jones smiled, and picked up the white, cold limb. He showed the moving fingers to the rest of the group. "Well..." He stared at the wide eyes of the other vampires, and the shock of the elderly woman. She probably had never seen something this nuts. He smiled at them all. "I _am_ a Doctor."

-x-

At 8am a black BMW traveling north turned out of a road stop, the driver not bothering to look both ways before entering the intersection of the two roads coming together.

That's because the area was deserted; dirt, sand, and sky were the main features the passengers of the vehicle looked out at as they traveled down the long straight road, which in a few hours would lead them to their pit stop.

Well, not all passengers.

The car looked suspicious from a bird's eye view. It traveled solo, followed a constant speed that was suitable for sandy roads, and stayed perfectly straight on the right shoulder of the road, even though it was on the only car for miles. The fact that it was such a nice, perfect condition car to begin with was what would make people take a second look at it.

Humans didn't know such luxury anymore…but _The Guard_ certainly did.

"We didn't know which was which. There was _no tattoo_! On either one!" a man inside the car yelled. But he wasn't just a man; his master status was a vampire.

Just because the atmosphere outside the car was peaceful didn't mean the interior was calm. Not in the least bit. Especially for one human girl, Jude, waking up from a hard hit to the head, which had left her disoriented and in quite a lot of pain behind her eyelids.

Jude groaned. Her ears were ringing, her head was pounding, and her eyes were stinging, unable to open just yet.

"I understand that much, _but Jane_, they _both_ have dark hair!" the man's voice was now even louder, yelling into some sort of radio phone, making Jude's head ache even more. She couldn't remember why she was even in a car, or why she was being taken away, but she did know who these men could possibly be. "What about her eyes? I'm pretty sure they have different color eyes. What color were your girls'?"

Jude swayed her head to the side, exhausted and annoyed with her semi-conscious state, but she froze when she felt another shoulder brush against her cheek. She opened her eyes a bit, blurry morning sunlight burning her. She wasn't alone; someone was beside her, looking outside into the morning sunrise, and on her other side, another man was doing the same.

Her surroundings were familiar enough though; at least outside the car. She recognized the reddish color of the sandy dirt roads outside, and the dry plains that stretched as far as the eye could see, cut off by mountains with rounded and jagged boulders. The surroundings were clear of any civilization, with the only man made things being the dry dirt roads that connected every so often, and broken down pylons, which stretched deep into the sky.

Jude took comfort in knowing she was in Moab, Utah still. But she didn't like the feeling of being alone, and not knowing where Bella was or if she was ok.

Jude tried to open her eyes wider, but blood dripped from a pained gash in her forehead, blurring her vision, and preventing her from seeing if the passenger in the front seat of the car was Bella.

"I can't believe you don't know her eye color! She spent over 20 years in your group, and you don't know exactly what she looks like!" the vampire was two seconds from crunching the device in his hands before the vampire on the other end of the line spoke up again, giving him something to go off of. He sighed, "Blue? Fine." He hung up the radiophone after the line disconnected, and then looked into the rear view mirror to see two pure blue eyes staring into his.

Jude gulped, but didn't remove her blurry gaze off of his.

The vampire finally spoke to her. "You're name wouldn't happen to be Bella Swan, would it?"

Jude nearly swallowed her heart, panic rising up. She was too scared to give a straight answer. "Ummm, I'll tell you who I am after you tell me where we're going."

The two vampires beside her laughed, along with the two in the front. Jude took that as a sign of it not happening. But one thing still ate at her mind; where the fuck was Bella? She was worried sick for Bella's fate, and why these men were looking for her.

Little did Jude know, Bella was fine. Well, as fine as she could be, locked in the truck of the car, wrists duck taped behind her back. But that didn't deter Bella from getting an earful of the current conversation inside the car, which so far, wasn't headed in a direction she wanted to hear.

Panic mode began to set in for Bella, and when that happens to her, _anything_ was possible.

-x-

"Get off my heels, Justin."

Justin laughed, but slowed down his pace so that he wasn't trailing just behind the agitated vampire. "You're very controlling. I wonder if that's what Bella finds so swoon worthy about you. They do say girls try to marry a version of their father."

Edward wanted to ask who this 'they' was he spoke of, but that would be engaging in conversation, and he wasn't up for that. He continued to run along the desert road, where Bella's scent had disappeared onto, as if she had vanished into thin air. They only had light tracks to go off of now, but they were disappearing just as quickly.

"Is Bella's father controlling like you?" Justin asked, taking the topic nowhere. "Because that would be something else—"

"How the hell would I know that, Justin? I met Bella around the same time you did, so shut the hell up."

Justin chuckled humourlessly, which he did a lot. "No we already established that you two knew each other before, so don't give me that bull shit," he said. "So were you in The Guard as well, or were you too much of a pussy? Oh and why the hell were you two separated? I wouldn't have let her get away if I had the chance."

Edward ignored him, which was very difficult. He didn't want to think of Bella right now, about the past, or about what could be happening this second. But Bella was all he did think about. He loved her…and he needed to tell her. The sooner he found Bella, safe and unharmed, the sooner he could get rid of Justin.

He and Justin had been running for quite some time now, and at times, it felt like circles to Edward. But he was going off instinct, and his instinct told him to continue North- and that's what Jones said to do as well. He could trust Jones…to a point. But there was still something about him that made Bella not trust him. Edward knew he was from Bella's past life at The Guard, only because he had searched Jones' mind. But the doctor was careful with his thoughts around Edward, which made it difficult to get a clear read on him.

"Can we stop? Regroup our thoughts. Come up with a better plan of attack."

Edward slowed down his pace, but didn't stop. He kept walking, with Justin now beside him. "What makes you think we'll need to attack? Maybe we can get in, get out. No problems."

"There's no such thing as 'get in, get out', which Bella is a prime example of."

Edward looked at Justin and eyed him suspiciously. Justin knew too much about The Guard, which raised several questions in Edward's mind.

"Can we not talk about Bella anymore? Don't pretend like you know her, because you don't. You're annoying me. I already don't like you, and I'm trying to think of a reason to not ditch you. So far I'm coming up blank."

"If I tell you I used to be a member of The Guard, would that help?"

Edward stopped walking, which Justin mirrored. Neither said another word as Edward stared into Justin's face while he thought about what to do with this information. He definitely couldn't trust him now…

"Don't look at me like that. I'm on The Resistance's side. I'm like Bella—"

"You are_ not_ like Bella. At all." Edward picked up the walk again, the pace increasing. "I don't trust you in the least bit now, not that I even did before."

"Oh come on, that's fair," Justin said sarcastically. "Bella and I are the same in the sense that we both have The Guard in our pasts."

"Well Bella left The Guard, and now she's headed back. What does that mean about you?"

"I never left."

-x-

Sweat dripped down Bella's back as she pondered what the hell to do next. Vampires were discussing her whereabouts, and her own fate depended on Jude, a human, who knew nothing of what she was being asked! Plus, she was locked in a truck…worse just got worse.

"Calm down, stop shaking!" Bella whispered harshly to herself. But her shaking body ignored her. She was nervous, scared, and angry— or was it fear?

Yes. Fear poured through her veins, pumping blood to her heart, and the adrenaline making her fingers twitch behind her back. It was dark and tight in the space, making her feel claustrophobic.

"Fear is weakness…" Bella said extremely low to herself, remembering the words of The Guard. But this time, she would use them to her advantage, in a way that never worked before. "Never let them know you're afraid."

Her plan was coming together in her head now, and all she had to do was put it in motion. With her hands tied behind her back, and risking it all with Jude being a liability, it may or may not work. But Bella would try anything now. She had nothing else coming to mind—

"HELP! I CAN'T BREATHE!" Bella screamed at the top of her lungs. "I'M BELLA! BELLA SWAN!" She kicked at the top of the trunk with her feet to get more of their attention, but she didn't have to for long. She heard the vampire's swearing, then the car was stopped, and doors were opening. "Don't do anything stupid," she told herself, even though that didn't make sense. These were Edward's words, which he had told her once upon a time, and really, the best plans were the stupid ones.

"Get her out, she's the one!"

Bella gulped, shutting her eyes tight, and when she heard the trunk pop open, she opened her eyes to four blood thirsty vampires, and Jude, the scared little human, off to the side. "I'm the one you want. Not her," Bella quickly said, to which two vampires grabbed onto the top of her arms and painfully yanked her from the car. She landed on her ass and fell back onto her side, her tied arms preventing her from catching herself. "Oww. That hurt."

A vampire with a moon shape scar near his eye hissed at her. She remembered him from back at the pond. "If that hurt, then you're not really a hybrid, and _she_ is," he pointed a dirty finger at Jude, whose eyes were wide and confused.

Bella was quick though. "Hybrids feel pain too, idiot. Shows how much you know. Maybe you're not really a Guard member."

He kicked dirt in her face, which stung her eyes for a split second, but it cleared away a moment later. _How mature_, Bella thought to herself.

"Then where the hell did your tattoo go?" another vampire yelled, but instead of kicking dirt, he kicked her…right in the ribs.

Jude flinched at the sound of the crack, and took a step away, frightened. She had been used to being around vampires, but not this type, who were violent and scary.

"Don't move another inch." The same vampire grabbed onto Jude by the top of her arm, and didn't let go. "She's the one we want, not this liar," he nodded down at Bella, who was staring up in disbelief.

She couldn't believe her ears. They didn't believe her. "I swear to God I'm Bella Swan! I burnt my tattoo off! I'm the hybrid! Just wait and I can prove—" she was cut off before she could ask him to look at her skin, which was covered with random markings from past fights with vampires.

"You don't have blue eyes." The scarred vampire glared down into her brown eyes. Bella didn't know what he was getting at. "The hybrid we're looking for has blue eyes, and that's what this one has." He looked at Jude, and motioned the other vampire to get back into the BMW.

"No! You're severely mistaken! I'm Bella—" she was cut off by a boot to the face…a steel toe boot. Her head snapped painfully to the side, throwing her onto her back. She groaned through the pain, telling herself not to fall victim to the darkness that was surely on its way, but while doing this, she didn't notice the cries from Jude, and the roar of the engine as it sped away into the distance.

With Jude.

"What a sweet escape _that_ was…" Bella groaned sarcastically to herself, turning over into the dirt and praying to God for the earth to eat her up.

It didn't.

-x-

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Edward wasn't sure if he heard Justin correctly or not. Had he just said _he never left_?

"I said I should have never left—here me out first! I mean I wouldn't have left so soon, because I'm always on the run now. But I should have waited it out until the best time, that's all. Don't look at me like that."

"Quit telling me how to look at you. I'll look at you however I want, and right now, you're looking like the enemy. I did not hear you say I should never have left. I'm not deaf. You said something else."

"Well I know what I said, and it doesn't matter. Bella is out there and she is in danger—"

Justin fell to the ground when Edward's fist came in contact with his right cheekbone. Justin stayed down on the ground, his eyes turning dark with a glare.

"I told you to quit talking about Bella. I hope that will remind you to stop."

"Thanks for the reminder, you crazy bastard."

"What was that you said? I'm supposedly deaf today."

"Nothing."

"That's what I thought."

"Oh my God," Justin stood suddenly, looking over Edward's shoulder.

Edward took it the wrong way. "Didn't have enough? I can try and even out the temporary bruise for you on the other side if you like?"

"No, shut up! Look!" Justin pointed towards the distance, where if he wasn't mistaken, four or five people stood, watching the two of them fight.

"It's people."

"You don't think…" But Justin didn't bother finishing his sentence. Edward was already running at full speed towards them, hopes higher than the sun. Justin rolled his eyes, for he knew these people weren't anything to do with The Guard. He would know that much…but he chased after Edward anyway. As long as he was keeping Edward off Bella's actual trail, he was doing his job. He was the one who had located her at The Resistance camp to begin with, so why couldn't he at least keep a love sick vampire away from her?

Easy.

"Edward wait up," he followed just behind him, and stopped in place when he did, just in front of the amused looking vampires_. How many of these Resistance vampires are there?_ Justin wondered. _Traitors!_

"We're apart of The Resistance, and we need you're help. My girlfriend was taken by The Guard." Edward knew these people were Resistance workers after taking a glance through their minds. He also knew that Bella might have a thing or two to say if he called her his girlfriend.

Justin stared at the group as they took in what Edward was telling them, and to his relief, they actually laughed at him. Justin kept from smiling. Edward growled.

"This is serious." Edward jumped forward and grabbed onto what seemed to be the only human in the group, and yanked him by the front of his shirt. "The Guard is out there, and as The Resistance, we need to do something about that."

Justin watched the human that Edward was holding onto closely. He seemed unconcerned with the fact that a vampire was giving him a rough time. His pure blue eyes stayed perfectly calm, and he even pulled his toque off his head and wiped the sweat pooling from his hair off his face. He was so nonchalant. Maybe it was because he had a whole gang of vampires behind him, ready to have his back. But they too looked unconcerned. What was their deal?

Edward dropped his hands from the boy's shirt, and glared at him. "You're pathetic, you know that? The Guard is out there picking off defenceless hybrids, and you're standing here, without a care in the world."

Then the human boy finally chirped up, or at least, what Justin thought was a human boy. Apparently not. "So they _are_ ringing in the hybrids…" he smirked to himself, and then turned it back on his brigade, "guess I should be on my toes tonight, huh boys?"

They all laughed, nodding in agreement.

"What does that mean?" Edward was wary all the sudden, not liking how chill they were coming off. What did they know? He wasn't getting a good read.

The boy with the sky blue eyes grinned, and then rolled his eyes. He pulled up his sleeve of his jacket, and nodded down at the tattoo that was printed along the inside of his left wrist.

Edward's eyes widened. But not as wide as Justin's.

"I'm a hybrid, and there's no way in hell I'm going back there," he nodded into the distance, making reference to The Guard.

-x-

Edward was taken aback. How was it possible that The Guard could find Bella, but this hybrid in front of him was able to stay low?

"Maybe if you hear my side of this, then you might reconsider—"

Austin cut Edward off. "Maybe you're not hearing me. The Guard killed part of me, and I'm not going to let it kill the rest. If I go back, they win; I need time, planning, in order to give them what's coming their way."

Edward pulled his fingers through his hair, his jaw hard from the frustration he felt.

"Anyway, the name's Austin." Austin pulled his toque back on to hide his dark hair. "And if you have a problem with The Guard, you've come to the wrong place. I'm not mixing with them."

Edward ground his teeth together. This was all a waste of time.

"The Guard has been snooping around here ever since the new year. They have resources that can track anything down, so it's in our interest to be careful about where we go, and where we set up camp," Austin was watching the look on Justin's face as he spoke, turned off by his hard eyes and untrustworthy features. "What's wrong with this one?" Austin nodded at Justin.

Justin hissed lowly, and Edward chuckled. "I don't know, but if you figure it out, be sure to let me know." Edward looked over his shoulder, ready to leave these unhelpful people. But just as he turned to leave them, his eyes caught a glimmer of light in the far side of the mountains, like a signal of some sort.

"That's our camp," a vampire behind Austin said. "It has a good view of everything that goes on around us, so it's difficult for members that aren't our own to sneak up on us." The vampire pulled out a shiny object, and did the signal back to his camp, reassuring them they were OK.

Edward stared in the direction of this camp, but no matter how hard he stared or squinted, he couldn't get a good view of the camp. And as he looked for any signs of civilization hidden in the mountains, Austin watched his face, and how he could empathize the feeling of losing a loved one. He definitely knew the heartbreak…and that's why he gave him an offer. "You know," Austin started, "I'm not too familiar with The Guard's current head quarters, but we do have someone back at camp that might be of some help."

Edward continued to stare out towards the camp, where if he chose to head towards, he could be possibly widening the gap between himself and Bella.

"Fine. I guess that would be more beneficial, if that's where they're taking her."

Justin laughed. "Hello, she's a hybrid. I think that's where they're taking her. Trust me."

Everyone turned to give Justin a weird look, Edward and Austin's more of a glare

"I mean, where else would they take her…" He looked off into space, the eyes eating away at his untrustworthy words. He felt their suspicion on him. How much longer could he hold it off?

"I wish I dropped you off with Jones." Edward shoved past him and followed the vampires that were already heading back to their destination.

"That makes two," Justin muttered.

"Don't worry, we got a guy at camp who will straighten him out," Austin joked.

Edward continued walking, but smirked. "Is that right?" He gave Justin the eye, or the once over, warning him he may take him up on his offer. Justin pretended he didn't notice.

"Yup. Carlisle is the shit. We're sure glad to have him and his family with us."

Edward stopped walking, his face blank.

Austin noticed Edward's shocked expression. "Carlisle Cullen," Austin grinned. "What, you're Edward? His long lost son? —that would be something."

Edward turned to look up at the mountainside, "Oh yeah, that would be something."

-x-

"Why don't you just relax? Go join Emmett and Rose in the hot water springs." Jasper lowered himself beside Alice, dangling his feet next to hers over the ledge of the drop off. He smirked when Alice rolled her eyes at his attempt to make her feel better. Maybe joining Rosalie and Emmett wouldn't be _that _exciting…

"He's coming here…Edward," Alice whispered. She knew is was only a matter of time before they finally crossed paths. But it wasn't going to be the happy reunion she hoped for; something was blocking that.

Jasper stared out ahead at the sun. It was in the middle of the sky, starting its descend for the day. If he were human, going out into the desert right now could kill him, probably from the heat, but more likely from getting picked off by The Guard.

The Guard…he didn't even want to get into that. As of now, being apart of The Resistance wasn't his call. It was something to pass the time. He wasn't afraid of anything, so fuck it all to hell. Enough said.

Alice was the reason they were all here. She had seen Edward here, so of course they would pick up and leave the shambles of Forks, hoping to come across him eventually, which was now happening. Apparently.

"The vision changed. He's looking for answers now. He's pissed. How great." Alice drummed her fingers on her knee, her voice sounding monotone and uninterested.

Jasper didn't comment. He just nodded.

Alice was off in her own head at the moment, confused with the reoccurring vision she had been getting lately. It was of Edward and Bella together, fine and happy, but since yesterday, it changed to one of Edward distraught and angry, searching for an ending.

"I just don't understand how we can come so far, and get so little." Alice stood up. "We find out they're alive one day, and the next, God only knows! I hate this." Alice walked away. What else was there to do?

Jasper wouldn't have been able to answer her anyway. The great thing about life was that it was ever changing, and even a vampire with foresight couldn't determine its turns.

Jasper stood up and stretched out his arms, his eyes never leaving the spot on the horizon, which if his eyes weren't playing tricks on him, a few dots were turning into figures, which were then turning into people.

He sighed. His brother was on his way here, and even though this was a reconnection worth celebrating, it was painfully obvious who was missing. The hybrid girl who he had once blood lusted after was both a thorn in his side, and a thorn in his heart, because everyone knows, it isn't a family reunion without the family's black sheep.

-x-

_**6pm **_

Bella put one foot in front of the other, like a good solider was supposed to do. One foot, then the other, then the other, a rhythm created.

Except she had never walked with her hands taped behind her back. This was a new experience.

A few hours ago, she had been locked in a trunk, gotten the awesome plan to give herself up, and because of her split decision making, Jude was mistaken as the hybrid Bella actually was, therefore being swept off into the great unknown.

Ooh but it was an all too familiar place to Bella, and that's why she was having a severe case of the shakes as she walked through the desert. Jude wouldn't survive. Once The Guard figured out they had the wrong gal, she'd be dead.

That's what they did. They killed people. Usually people Bella had attachments to. Like Victoria. God…it hurt thinking about her.

One foot in front of the other, her head low, eyes on the ground, sometimes closing to get a groan out. "Ugh…" was all she could say out loud. Well, that and "Gah." Her voice was dry. She was thirsty. And her instincts for higher land were moving her feet through the dirt. Hopefully she would find something there, or more importantly, someone.

_Edward. _He would be so upset with her. Oh God, he probably thought she ran off on her own, making the wrong decision again. That's why she needed to get back to her group before they up and left; if they didn't believe her, she always had Jude to think of, and that was one human being they couldn't ignore.

Bella was sweating to death, her hoodie turning a darker color around the neck and back. It was pathetic how extra sticky duct tape was preventing her from removing it; being a hybrid should mean being able to remove bound tape. Apparently not…

"Ugh!" Bella kicked the dry dirt under her feet. It clouded up and stuck onto her face. Her appearance, not that she realized, was getting rougher and rougher as the hours ticked on, coating her scars and skin with dirt.

But no amount of dirt could cover one marking that was slowly making its appearance on the inside of her wrist. It was the marking that told The Guard what she was, and it was the marking that showed her true colors to The Resistance.

Luckily Bella didn't notice its reappearance on her skin, because that wouldn't help her situation at the moment. But that didn't mean other people wouldn't.

_**7pm**_

"Carlisle."

Carlisle spun around to the sound of his name from the son he hadn't seen in months. His eyes grew wide with the state of the vampire before him. His cheek bones looked sharper, his eyes were of course darker than the darkest nights he had ever seen, and the bags beneath them were purple, like bruises.

"I guess Alice would have told you what's going on…" Edward crossed the small clearing on the high ground, stopping directly in front of his father. He noticed his shocked stance; maybe Alice hadn't told him. "I guess you weren't expecting me—" he cut himself off when Carlisle suddenly closed the small space between them, encasing his son in a hug. Edward let him hug him, and was glad when it ended just as quickly.

"Alice saw you. That's why we're in Utah." Carlisle stared at Edward, thankful for him to be alive. "But she also saw Bella…a while ago…is that true?"

Edward shrugged. "That would have been true if I knew how to protect her," Edward turned his back on his father, but when he did that, Esme was behind him, eyes wide.

"Don't you say that," she pointed her finger at him like a strict mother. "You were the one who kept her safe." Esme hugged Edward, letting go of him when she realized she wasn't going to get much from him other than a stiff board. "Where have you been, it's so good to see you—"

"Are we really doing this right now?" Edward stepped away from his parents, wringing his hands through his hair. "She's out there…" he looked out into the horizon, where the sun was setting, and desert extended into mountains.

Esme looked at Carlisle, her heart crushed for her son, whose heart was just as crushed. And even though this should have been a moment for Esme to feel sympathy for Edward, she felt hope, because her son had done the unthinkable and fallen in love.

She felt guilty for feeling happy at a time of stress, but she had always dreamed of her son finding the lightness love brought on, and here he was, caught up in it all. If only it wasn't so dark at the moment.

"Edward." Alice was now in the area, making her way over to her brother. She didn't hug him because she could see the stress in his stance. She kept her distance and stared at him.

"Alice." He nodded at her, and didn't do much else when he walked past her, higher up the mountain ledge, and around the corner, where a small fire pit was lit with several humans and vampires sitting around it.

Austin eyed Edward, noticing his tense shoulders, and antsy eyes. He looked uncomfortable being in this group, even if his own family was near. It was weird to look at. "Edward come sit."

"Yes. That sounds great. Maybe delaying things even more will get Bella back," Edward snapped.

"She's a hybrid. What do you think is going to happen to her?" Justin said from a spot across the fire. "She's as safe as safe can be."

Edward took in a jagged breath, "I might just kill you right now, and I don't even care—" he lunged for Justin, but was stopped when Emmett came through the few bushes, surprising him. He grabbed onto Edward's shoulders and pulled him into a hug, and inored Edward's cursing and swearing.

"Emmett, I'm serious. Get the hell off me!" Edward shoved him, having no time for his childish behaviour. Behind his brother, Rosalie glared at Edward. She had on a fierce face. He expected that much from her.

_Don't be so dramatic…_

Edward froze, not knowing where the voice in his head was being channelled from.

_Over here...by the fire._

Edward glanced sideways, noticing for the first time an elderly woman, probably in her nineties. She was a vampire as well, and even though her age didn't help her looks, she had an elegance about her that made her attractive.

"And who is this?" Edward stared at the old lady, looking through her. Everyone around Edward tensed, which he picked up, but still, he continued glaring at her. He didn't like her arrogance.

_You're very upset. _She wasn't even looking at Edward, but instead, staring into the dancing flames of the red fire. _All because of a girl?_

Edward snorted, turning to Alice quickly. "What the hell is going on here—she's nuts!"

Austin answered for her. "As nuts as Treena is, she's seen over 400 years of bullshit, with the majority of it in The Volturi Guard. She practically ran the place, so if I were you, I'd sit down, shut up, and pay attention."

Edward didn't sit though. Instead, he opted for crossing his arms and glaring, trying desperately to dig into her mind to find something useful.

_You can't penetrate my mind, so you might as well stop._

Edward uncrossed his arms, and looked over at his family, who were all standing still. Even Jasper was attuned to a disturbance when he strolled through the area, stopping and cocking an eyebrow at Alice, who gave him a look to not say anything.

"Can everyone else hear you as well?" Edward asked, holding up his hands.

Treena shrugged. "Depending if I let them or not…" She slowly stood up, pulling her cardigan closer around her body. "Like right now…I'm pretty sure they can hear me."

Austin laughed, his smile spreading across his face. The old lady turned and winked at him playfully, and then sat back down on the log, finding her place in the fire again.

Edward stared in disbelief. This old lady was too unconcerned with the fact that two girls were out in the desert, alone, without help—

"Two girls? I thought it was just your girlfriend that was missing?" the old lady said, staring into the fire still.

Whispers surrounded the fire next, eyes shifting in Edward's direction.

He shifted on his feet, feeling cornered. "Well yes, two girls were taken. One of them was a hybrid, the other a human—" Edward cut himself off when the old lady's eyes suddenly met his, the gold color incredibly bright.

And then she cocked an eyebrow…but not at Edward…at Austin instead.

Austin felt weird. "What is it?"

The old lady looked back into the fire, her hand playing the same rhythm on her knee. "I think you and Edward may want to share notes…because the same human in his mind I've seen dancing around in yours."

Silence came next. But it was short; both boys thought long and hard about what the hell she was talking about, until the surface finally cracked.

"Jude?" both boys said simultaneously, their eyes growing wide as the seconds ticked off after her name left their mouths.

The lady smirked. "So it seems."

-x-

**A/N:** Long. Kinda weird in some places, but the next chapter will have more Bella. I promise. x)

**Recap:** Demetri was ripped apart by the vampires that took Jude and Bella, who were from The Guard. Jude and Bella were to be taken to The Guard headquarters, but Bella was ditched because they believed she wasn't the one they were looking for…which of course wasn't true.

Bella is now in the desert, making her way back to her camp so that she can get some help to get Jude. She feels like shit.

Edward and Justin head out to go and look for Bella and Jude, and of course they fight along the way. Justin says too much, and yes, he is not on The Resistance's side. Not that anyone is aware of that yet.

Austin also makes an appearance finally, who is no longer apart of the guard because he believes they killed Jude while he was away. He now is apart of the resistance, and shows Edward and Justin to their group in the mountain top, where the Cullen's also happen to be living.

The old lady used to be a member of The Volturi. She can read minds, put her voice in other people's minds, and block her mind from everyone else. She notices the image of Jude in Edward's mind, which she has seen several times in Austin's. She points this out.

**Song: The Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani**


	19. Glitter in the Air

**Disclaimer:** SM owns Twilight because she's one fucking lucky lady. I would have thought of it if I had some more time and more ink in my pen.

**Chapter 19: Glitter in the Air**

"_Have you ever wished for an endless night? Lassoed the moon and the stars and pulled that rope tight? Have you ever held your breath and asked yourself, Will it ever get better than tonight?" – P!nk_

-x-

Bella didn't remember a life before the Orphanage. She just remembered being a blank little girl, getting picked up from the streets, and tossed in an orphanage. Luckily, after only a few days of waiting, someone special had come into her life, taking her into a home that would draw out her future. It was this home that she grew up around greatness, starting her depression that escaladed into self loathing.

_It's the past, _Bella told herself, _and it doesn't matter_. Her hands were still tied behind her back, her shoulders dying from the pain of being in the same place for too long. It was like the pain she felt when she was in Alaska, a stinging pain that grew and grew the longer she pretended she didn't belong with a family that she couldn't measure up to.

Bella was used to being alone now. She found it normal to have her head down and not be looking ahead for a place to go. And it was these times that she thought about the regrets in her life, and how she could physically make herself sick with the things she had done. She was thinking of her regrets right now; the typical decisions, what made them wrong and never right, and why she was a fool. It was typical mind games for her- she had nothing else to do.

But tonight, something was different. Sure, she was bringing up the bad, thinking hard about life and what it meant to her, yet, instead of feeling lonely, like she normally did when she was in trouble, she felt fine. She was alright; her shoulders were straight, her head was up, and her chest felt light.

It was because she was going forward, headed in a direction that she believed in; she knew that if she kept walking ahead, she wouldn't have to be lonely, and she could have some people to be with. The Resistance was _her_ kind; misfits that had nowhere else to go.

It didn't matter if you had a past or not; it was if you had a future that truly counted. Bella told herself this over and over again to keep her feet walking ahead, even when the dark took over and the cold set in.

"God. It's me. Bella."

The clouds in the sky were parting, showing the moon brightly ahead. It lit the only option for cover; a mountainside.

"I would really love some water right now. Or, I don't know, a sign from my friends?"

She tripped next—her laces fault, removing the ground from under her feet and placing it under her chin.

"Jesus fucking Christ."

Then the clouds moved back together, slowly removing the light that spread across the dark desert. Bella watched the slow motion of the atmosphere, realizing that if she didn't hurry up and get under cover, this place could get a whole hell of a lot scarier.

Which it did.

-x-

"Jude? Jude with the dark hair and eyes like mine?" Austin shot out of his seat, his ears lapping at the name his heart pounded for and his mind dreamed about. His hand shook when he pointed to his eyes, pure as the ocean on a hot day.

"Yes. They're exactly like that," Edward said, gazing at Austin. His mind was showing him what he had missed; a smiling Jude from a past life, running around in a foreign place to Edward— then it changed. Fire was burning down a house in the same place, a farm Edward assumed, and judging from Austin's vivid memory of this fire, it had a significant meaning behind it. "You thought she was dead…" Edward could barely look into the hybrid's eyes, he felt so guilty; he knew the turmoil it brought on to know someone you cared for no longer existed.

"But she's not— you've seen her."

"She and I are apart of the same Resistance group. We were both wanderers who came across it. It was random." Edward didn't believe in fate. Or at least, he didn't think he did.

"I have to find her." Austin turned his back on the group surrounding the fire, but Alice caught him before he could take another step.

"Austin, don't be stupid." She cared for him in a brotherly way. Her and her family had gotten to know him over the past couple months. Him running off was not the answer right now. "Wait until we figure things out-"

"She's alive! Jude is ALIVE! How didn't you see it! She's been alive all this time..." Austin pulled off his toque, and then covered his face with it. His mind was telling him that overreacting was stupid, and a plan was needed, but his heart told him that he was already too behind.

"You never spoke of her. How come you never told us about her?" Carlisle didn't move towards Austin. He stayed near Esme, knowing the distance would be more comforting than a presence that was suffocating to the hybrid. Austin reminded him of Bella. Maybe all hybrids had tempers set of my close proximity.

Austin shook his head, water forming on the edges of his eyes. Tears never fell though—or at least, he didn't let them.

"I didn't know…" was all Alice could say. She looked to Carlisle, and when she saw the despair in his eyes, she knew it was probably a hundred times worse for Austin.

Carlisle put his head down, emotions running hard. He was unable to imagine what it would feel like to realize something you had tried to put behind you was now out there, trying to find its way back.

"I want to be alone…" Austin said lowly, and he walked off.

Edward didn't say anything. He knew the situation Austin was in, and how he was feeling; Austin was no longer running off his head, but instead, his heart.

"That was random," Rosalie said lowly after he left, being the typical, insensitive type she was. Nobody commented.

"Jude never even mentioned him." Edward was still in shock over the news of Jude, and how she wasn't as lonely as he had assumed. He found it funny how you really never did know someone, even if you thought you did. Jude was like him, maybe a friendlier version, but she didn't speak much of her past. It made Edward feel less alone; this Resistance group really was made for him.

"Her relationships are none of your business," the old lady stood up from her place in front of the fire, taking a sideways glace at Justin first, and then concentrating back on Edward. He looked confused. "What? Don't seem so betrayed by your friend—you never told her about your lady friend either."

Edward went to object, but Treena gave him a look that told him he had already lost this battle.

"Bella will be fine. She's useful. I can't imagine the Guard just disposing of her." She stretched out her arms, the muscles flexing from under her cardigan. Even at her old age, she was still something to be afraid of.

"And you would know."

"Yes. I would. I know things you know nothing of."

"Do you know where Bella is?"

"No."

"Useful."

"Back in my day, when I was ferocious and a somebody, I would have had you killed for saying that. Or maybe for how much you stare. It's rude."

"I can't see you running an organization like The Guard."

"Either could I. That's why I left." The old lady winked at Edward, stepping away from the fire. She disappeared into the woods, headed off to possibly hunt.

Esme sighed lowly. "Edward I think you know how I feel about all of this. And I am so happy for you…" She looked to the ground for her words. "Bella really is your perfect match. I didn't know it, but deep down, I think I did. You're meant to be together."

Rosalie looked at Emmett, uncomfortable to think of Edward with a heart. Emmett gave her a look to let her know he felt the same way.

Edward just stood there, despair in his eyes, his shoulders slumped, his head somewhere else.

Jasper eyed Edward uneasily, feeling the wild emotions running off of his skin. He needed to say something. "You know," he hesitated. "I miss Bella too."

Rosalie snorted. "You sure showed it back at the house—"

"_Rosalie._" Edward growled. He grabbed Justin by the collar and pulled him up off the log. "Instead of worrying about _that_," Edward shoved Justin towards the trees, "this guy is going to show me where The Guard is placed at." He pointed in the direction he wanted Justin to go. "Start walking."

"I don't know where—"

"This is ridiculous. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack. The desert ground is too large."

Alice's words didn't mean anything to Edward. "I'm going to find her—and Jude. I know Austin is on the same page as me."

Austin nodded weakly.

"Fine." Carlisle straightened up, and walked to a position of the clearing where he could be seen better. "You three go ahead; if I remember correctly, the only road out of this place is north, and if you find that, you might find something." Carlisle looked at Esme, her eyes low on the ground, gazing into nothing. "We'll meet you at The River in a days time—Austin, you know the place right?"

Austin nodded. "Yeah. I know it. It's about a days hike away, maybe more."

"It will be safer for everyone this way. We still have a group to lead-"

"You don't need to explain yourself. No one is asking you to come." Edward eyes seemed to darken over as he said this.

"Edward, that's enough." Esme's eyes were wide, focusing in on her son.

"I wasn't implying that I don't want to go," Carlisle said to Edward. He just didn't see any hope in the situation for it not turning out for the worse. Carlisle just didn't want to see anyone getting killed over this.

"No you weren't, but your thoughts about the subject sure did. I can't believe you don't trust her. You think Bella ran off like before."

"It wouldn't be the first time—"

"To hell with you! This is why I left this family, and this is why Bella left too. You're all full of it, and nobody is good enough for you! Bella didn't go back to The Guard by choice this time, and she can tell you that herself when I bring her back."

"I hope so…" Carlisle said lowly. He felt guilty all the sudden. He didn't know what he thought anymore.

"Come on," he nodded over to Austin, motioning for him to leave. "You too," he glared at Justin.

"But you're not hearing me. I can't think of where—"

"Think hard, vampire, because your life depends on it."

Justin didn't see a way out of it. He could only lead him in circles for so long. "Fine. I think I might know of a few places that The Guard would look for to set up camp."

"Lovely," Alice groaned. "And Edward, what the hell do you plan on doing?"

"I don't know. You tell me."

Alice sighed heavily, but closed her eyes anyway, searching the darkness of the future. It was blurry, which was typical nowadays, but she did see something— a figure, hiding under darkness, getting nervous about the close proximity of an enemy.

"Bella," Edward whispered, his eyes widening. "She got away."

"Not exactly. It's the future, and we don't know what it means."

Austin started out of the clearing, the hope in his heart slowly declining; Alice's vision may have showed a future for one girl, but the girl he was interested in was MIA.

-x-

The car trip was longer than Jude would have expected. And still, they weren't even to their so called destination yet. Jude knew this because taking a pit spot at a broken down gas station wasn't in the cards; either were the four popped tires, courtesy of a sniper in a broken down pylon. Unfortunately, he didn't live long enough for Jude to thank him- the vampires sucked him dry like the leeches they were.

"At least we got rid of our dry spell," one optimistic vampire said after finishing off the old man's veins. Jude was forced to watch.

"At least we don't have a car thanks to this Resistance fucker," the pessimistic vampire shoved the optimistic one, making him hiss.

"How can you tell? He's just some dumb human."

"Any human out here is apart of something, and they communicate with each other," he searched the dead human's ratty clothes, and when he looked in his coat pocket, a walkie radio emerged in the vampires hand. "See. They've been tracking our car—"

"They have not. No one knows who we are—"

"Anyone with a working car isn't just lucky—they work for The Guard! Do you know how many Resistance groups are out there?"

"No."

"Exactly! They're everywhere. Some bigger than others, some no bigger than this guy right here." The pessimistic vampire kicked the dead human in the ribs.

Jude had a major flash of déjà vu then; that was Bella hours ago.

"It's on foot from here on out," the vampire with the scar above his eye finally chimed in. He grabbed Jude's arm and shoved her in front of the vampires. "You stay in front of us."

Jude didn't say a word. She turned her back to the vampires, and started her walk forward, which would probably be a long one. As long as she figured something out before they realized she wasn't who they wanted, she would be fine.

At least, that's what she told herself.

-x-

Bella looked like a chicken with its head cut off; she just couldn't seem to master the skill of running with her hands tied behind her back. Her legs couldn't pump her body hard enough, and they seemed to flail out beneath her. She felt ridiculous, and she knew she probably looked ridiculous too.

She was running because she was scared. She realized being out in the open was an easy target for whoever wanted to pluck her off the earth, and even though she knew heading towards a mountainside wasn't exactly the answer to everything, it was the answer to getting out of sight.

After what felt like a half hour of running like a girl, Bella finally reached the hard rock she was aiming for—now how the hell was she going to climb it? It was like that scene in 'Holes', a book she had read when she was younger, where Stanley and Zero ran off to _God's Thumb_, a huge mountain, and the only way to climb its steep slope was with a shovel's help and a whole lot of muscle strength.

Bella didn't have a shovel, but she did have some strength; none of it in her arms seeing how they weren't useful at the moment. She had to settle for using her legs more, and starting up the slope with one large step up onto a rock, followed by another to the left, and then another to the right, and so on and so on…

Thirty minutes went by, and fifty meters up the mountain side was all Bella had to show for it. It was like she was climbing in slow motion—maybe she was. The night sky wasn't helping her situation, as she could barely see her hand in front of her face— maybe because it was tied behind her back. It was getting harder to find places she could easily place her feet, and at one point, Bella had to jump from boulder to boulder, until she found a path that led her around a few of the scarier sections, and onto a trail that led her up to the highest part she could get. It was the end of the road for her when she realized it was going to be impossible to climb the rest of the mountain; it was all vertical now, and without her hands, she couldn't climb…or could she?

Bella positioned herself so that her body was placed on the hard rock, and her left shoulder was leaning against a rock jutting out from the mountainside. She took a deep breath in, and after ignoring the scarping rock on the side of her face, she placed her right foot in a hole, and pushed her body up. It could work if she kept a rhythm. She continued this system of finding foot holes and using her shoulders to keep her steady, and occasionally, her chin was the only thing holding her body from falling back into the darkness below. She swore several times when she slipped a bit, making her heart jump out of her chest, but she always managed to find something to steady herself just in time. Relief flooded over her when a boulder large enough to sit on became available for her to rest on. It was tough getting herself up onto it, but when she did, she rested her back against the mountainside, and was able to stare out into the vast desert, seeing what she had traveled across to get to here. She couldn't imagine having done such walk in the middle of the day, it was tough enough doing it in the night, where even if the temperatures dropped, her sweater was still soaked with sweat around the neck, making her shiver when the wind blew.

She closed her eyes for the first time in what seemed like days, knowing that the boulders above and around her acted as a shield, protecting her from anyone spotting her.

Slowly but surely, Bella fell asleep, and of course, you can probably guess what bronze haired vampire she dreamt about.

-x-

"We're going to try that mountainside." Edward pointed towards another mountain off in the distance, one that looked exactly like the one they had just searched through, and the one before that, and the one before that. It was Alice's vision that told him to search through every mountain out there; if it had huge rocks, Bella could be there.

"I'm sick and tired of this."

"I'm sick and tired of you!" Austin shoved Justin, but instead of Justin ignoring him like he had been doing for the past couple hours, his fuse cut out, and he punched Austin straight in the face, his feet coming out from under him, and his head hitting the dirt with a cracking sound.

Edward didn't have to look to see that there was blood; he could already smell it, and even though he ate before he left, the thirst for human blood never did go away. This got him angry. "Justin what is your problem?" He stepped in front of him, putting his back to him, and looked down at Austin, who was out like a light. "Austin, buddy, snap out of it." He shook him a little, feeling the slow heartbeat of the hybrid.

Austin finally opened his eyes after a few more shakes from Edward, and painfully turned over onto his stomach to spit some blood from his mouth. "Wow Justin," he groaned, his eyes slits, thankful the sun still wasn't out to blind him. "You're pretty fucking childish."

"You provoked me, so shut your mouth." Justin turned his back to the broken down hybrid, knowing that if he looked at him any longer, he might actually rip him to pieces—which was exactly what The Guard didn't want him to do with hybrids. Justin had to keep his cool, and if he did, not only would he find Bella— if in fact she did get away— he would be delivering not just one, but two hybrids back to the organization that they belong with. The Guard didn't know about Austin, but Justin would make sure he didn't fall through the cracks.

"Justin who the hell do you think you are?" Austin was up off the ground in a second, already recovered from the blow. "You don't have the qualities that make you an official member of The Resistance, so why don't you skedaddle now. I wouldn't doubt if you crawled back to The Guard, because I could bet money that that's where you're from!"

Justin's heart would have jumped out of his chest if it wasn't dead and silent to the world- which he was thankful for that the moment because heightened blood pressure would have given him away. He just rolled his eyes at Austin, and then looked at Edward, who seemed to be keeping his mouth shut about the whole "Guard past" thing.

"Come on. This is ridiculous." Edward headed straight for the mountain he hoped Bella would be at. Hopefully she could stay hiding until he got there and could save her from whatever was putting her in harms way.

But as he ran, he couldn't help but feel a little regret; if he hadn't have been such a hothead, he probably could have his family helping him right now, making finding Bella a whole lot easier.

That's the thing about regret; it eats you alive.

-x-

"_122112-15."_

_Bella recognized the voice. But she remained completely still on her top bunk, knowing that if she pretended to be asleep, James would leave her alone._

_She flinched when his cold grasp suddenly came around her wrist that was handing over the mattress, making it easy for him to pull her off the top bunk and onto the cement floor._

"_James_—_" he threw his army boot into her gut, making her topple over in pain. Bella dropped her forehead to the cold floor, her eyes shut tightly to hold in any gasp that could leave her mouth. _

"_I saw you the other night..."_

_Bella didn't know what he was talking about. She stayed quiet, waiting out the pain to leave her stomach._

"_You think you're not being watched? I have eyes and ears everywhere."_

"_James I don't even know what you're_—_" a tug on Bella's hair lifted her off the floor, forcing her to stay perfectly still as James stared at her face, holding a fist full of hair._

"_You saved him."_

_Bella felt the blood leave her face, her stomach dropping. She was on the same page as him now, but she didn't want to show it. She looked to the floor, or at least tried to with him nearly yanking her hair out._

"_You and that Demetri guy unsealed the doors in that factory, and helped a human escape."_

_Bella swallowed. She was beginning to see it all clearer again. James didn't trust her or Demetri for his own reasons, but now he had proof not to._

_He held her hair tighter, but Bella ignored the pain. It was mild compared to what she had experienced so far in her life. "How stupid are you?"_

"_It was worth it."_

_Bella's feet were suddenly kicked out from under her, her back smacking the floor. The roots of her hair were on fire as she felt the ripping pain of being dragged out of her room, down the stairs, and into the great room where vampires lounged and talked amongst each other._

_James spoke up before the vampires in the room could ask any questions. "I just wanted everyone to know that Bella has been a hero in hiding." He let go of her hair and then grabbed the top of her arm to get her onto her feet. _

_Bella stared at the vampires faces, some not giving a shit about her, and some actually interested in what was going on. Then she saw Demetri in the back, blocked by two other vampires. James couldn't see him, but Demetri could see everything; and by the look on his face, he knew that Demetri found out about some stuff._

"_Bella saved a human the other night, and I wanted to make sure everyone knew about it." James shoved her towards the table harshly, and smiled when the legs of the table took out her own. The smack of her head on the cement made him smile. "So yeah, we have a hero among us. And even if the impossible seems impossible…" James walked over to Bella on the floor, and kneeled down beside her. She didn't look at him, but felt his breath on her neck. "…Bella will find a way to make my day."_

Bella gasped, hitting her head on the rock wall behind her, scaring herself awake. It was all just a dream of her past, but reliving the truths still made her nervous. Her heart was pumping as if James was behind her, ready to finish her off like he did with Victoria.

Bella yawned lowly, her eyes raking out into the distance, where ever so slightly, a morning crack of sun was breaking into the mountainside. It felt like a lifetime ago that she had seen the sunlight, and it was an even longer time since she had watched the sun come up. She felt excited; a complete 180 from what she had been a few hours ago.

And then it all came back to her when she heard voices above her, further up the mountain. Her ears picked up the voices, but didn't pick up the muffled words— her heart was beating too hard, and eventually, that's all she could hear.

Bella tried to stand up on the boulder she was perched on, but when she moved her foot to stand, it knocked over a small pebble, sending it over the edge, and creating the first of many disturbances down the mountainside. Bella cringed when she heard one of the voices shush the rest; she stayed sitting on the boulder, her hands tied, holding her breath with her back pressed tightly against the rock wall. She was scared out of her mind.

Bella began to pray to the God she wasn't sure existed for the disappearing darkness to be enough to hide her, or that whoever was above her wouldn't look over the ledge of the mountain, and see her curled up and completely defenceless.

She shut her eyes, searching for any sounds of the morning, of any existence other than her own. And then she heard it in the form of footsteps, walking agonizingly slow towards the ledge.

Bella knew God didn't exist now. Only because if there was one, why would he torment her so much, and never let her have that happy ending? She wasn't against being the tragic hero who had to put her happiness before everyone else's, but she did want to find something in the world that made giving it all up worth it—

"Oh my God."

Bella flinched from how near the male voice was. It was just over her head, about ten meters up. She was too scared to look if the voice was talking to her or not- maybe she was still safe.

"It's her."

Bella's heart deflated. The Guard had found her. She would be dead in ten seconds. Bella let out a breath, the hope that had once filled her heart now released into the air, floating away into-

"Edward, come quick!"

And then it was back. Bella's eyes flew open, not believing her ears, and just as she lifted her head to look up above her head, the morning sun blinding her, a vampire with bronze hair and sparkling skin popped his head over the ledge, his eyes just as wide as the hybrid's below.

All Bella could see was glitter in the air, and then she was no longer alone on the boulder.

-x-

Edward didn't even remember jumping down on the ledge, kneeling over the hybrid he would dream about if he could, and without hesitating, pressing his lips onto hers.

Bella didn't even question if God was tricking her for being rude with him, because the vampire she was currently sharing the coldest and most breath taking kiss with, was really too much to ask for.

Edward pulled away first, needing more than just a kiss to see if Bella was ok. His critical side took over, analyzing Bella's state. "Talk to me Bella." His voice was breathless, like he had run a marathon before finding her. He felt like he had; being without Bella was exhausting to his mind.

Bella stared up at him through her messed up bangs, giving a half hearted grin, even though she meant to give him more. This reunion had been a long time coming, and it was like all the energy had been drained out of her.

Edward wiped her hair out of her face, finally getting to stare into her eyes, loving the feeling of familiarity in them. Bella was doing the same; his dark eyes were turning more gold by the second, and it was at that moment that she realized that what she lived for was right in front of her.

"Edward I love you."

"I can't imagine why," he grinned, trailing his hands over her body, under her knees and behind her back. He lifted her into his chest. "But I love you too."

"I can't imagine why," Bella smiled, which was wiped away when Edward leaned forward and trapped her lips with his.

-x-

"Move Justin," Edward growled after placing Bella on the ground, noticing for the first time her appearance. She looked like she had been through a desert storm; her white skin was covered in dried on dirt, her hair was a lighter shade of brown and clumped together in certain sections, and her clothes were stained, ripped, and covered with dirt.

And not to mention, her hands were tied behind her back, something Bella hadn't forgotten about. "My arms are killing me. I can't feel my hands."

"I know, just—Austin, you have a knife?"

He shook his head. Edward looked to Justin, but he just shrugged.

"Just rip it, my God!" Bella flipped over onto her stomach, and looked over her shoulder at Edward. He didn't have any other choice but to carefully rip the tape from her skin. He didn't get a chance to peel it off of her though because Bella had already pulled her arms under her, cursing loudly. "Holy fuck, you don't even know how much that hurts!"

Edward went to help her off the ground, his jaw clenching from the pain she was in, but she was fine all the sudden, exhaling and looking up at him like he was some sort of God.

"What?" he asked, smiling like a fool.

"Nothing," she shrugged, standing up. He stood up with her. "It's just good to finally see you."

He grabbed her hand and pulled it up to his face, kissing the palm of it. "I was just thinking that."

"I mean to see anything besides desert would have been nice—"

Edward grabbed her around the waist and crushed her to his chest, making her laugh.

"I'm kidding…but seriously, I don't know how much longer I would have lasted."

Edward dropped his hands from her waist, hating to even hear her talk like that. "I'll always come for you. Don't you know that?"

Bella smiled, and let her head fall into his chest. She was about to respond until someone cleared their throat, directing her attention to it. Bella looked up and saw a boy with a toque on his head, standing beside Justin, looking very impatient.

"Sorry Edward, it's just…what about Jude?" he was staring at Bella now, his eyes hard and anxious. "Did you see Jude, Bella?"

It was like Bella was staring into the eyes of Jude herself; but these eyes were too sad, and too longing to belong to Jude. It was heart wrenching to have to look into them, and that's why she looked away, and out into the distance of the desert below.

Here Bella had the being beside her that she lived for; an equal just as lost and lonely as her. But in the end, she wanted to be apart of a result, and bringing Jude back would be the icing on the cake. Bella couldn't enjoy what she had if something else was out of place.

"I'm sorry…" She stepped out of Edward's grasp, and walked over to the ledge. Somewhere, out there in the miles of sand and dirt, Jude had to be. "But they thought she was me...and took her instead."

Austin sucked in, putting his hands on his head and turning his back to her. He felt like breaking something.

"We can get her back—"

"Bella I think you should think—"

"Edward imagine the situation reversed, and that this guy had Jude back, and I was still out there."

This silenced Edward.

"Exactly."

Edward walked behind Bella, needing to be close to her so that he didn't miss her presence. "I don't know what we can do… but I'm not letting you out of my sight."

Bella turned, cocking an eyebrow at him. She liked how Edward didn't back down from her. She reached out and felt his jaw line, liking the way he closed his eyes and took in a jagged breath as she trailed her hand down to his chest. He opened his eyes and placed his hand over hers on his chest. She smiled. "That's fine…but we can get her back."

Edward closed his eyes and pulled her into his chest, his chin resting on her head. "Fine. We'll get her back."

Austin couldn't help but smile.

**-x-**

**A/N:** It was a long wait, and I am sorry for that. Just know, I should be studying for a midterm right now, but I chose to write this and update instead.

**Song: Glitter in the Air by P!nk.**


	20. La La Land

**Disclaimer:** Fine. Stephenie Meyer owns it all. ARE YOU HAPPY!

**Chapter 20: La La Land**

"_Well, some may say I need to be afraid of losing everything because of where I had my start, and where I made my name. Well, everything's the same in the La La Land machine." –Demi Lovato._

-x-

Utah wasn't really a place that offered much to anyone. When the apocalypse was hitting, avoiding tall buildings and flooding was the main focus, but after a month of hoopla, eventually the bare lands were turned clear again. Most people found groups of survivors that fit their group according to their beliefs. But even if having vampires on your side would be helpful, that wasn't the case in some situations: like cats and dogs, or oil mixing with water, humans and vampires still couldn't coexist. Ignorant humans and naïve vampires still existed, but as the months went on, rumours of different groups traveling the west side were made known.

That's why The Guard no longer resided in Utah; not that Edward, Bella, or Austin were aware of this. Before Jude and Bella had been taken, The Guard hadn't set foot in Utah for months, only because it was territory that made little sense to cover. But of course, searching for the one hybrid that changed everything led them to the land of the lost, and soon enough, they found what they _thought_ they were looking for.

Justin was the only one in the know at the moment of the whereabouts of The Guard. He took it upon himself to lead his little group in circles, until eventually he could get Bella alone to plant the seeds of doubt into her brain, just as one member had done to her years and years ago.

Until then, he would have to hope that Utah was wide enough that they wouldn't bump into other groups. He didn't have to worry about bumping into The Guard anytime soon of course; they were long gone out of the desert by now…

But the city was another story.

Las Vegas, Nevada, once known for it's rambunctious night life, wild residents, and gambling visitors, were now replaced by empty streets, fallen buildings, and of course, blood thirsty vampires.

The Guard found the destination appealing. No one would expect this vacant lot to be housing over 100 hybrids and over 200 humans, all trapped in what seemed like a modern day Nazi Germany. The city was a prison, and set in the perfect location that The Guard didn't have to worry about being found. Some humans that passed by the city only saw it as a pile of ruminants from the apocalypse, and continued on their way, but the curious humans, the ones that braved out the broken down buildings and ripped up streets, got a little more than they bargained for.

Las Vegas was where Jude was being taken—not that she was aware. Actually, she wasn't aware of most things at the moment, for she had been knocked out cold thirty seconds ago, just as a helicopter circled the lone figures walking in the desert. Her unconscious body wouldn't know that she was being air lifted out of Utah, and headed towards a quicker form of transportation that only The Guard seemed to have access to.

The Guard had it all, and that's why it was too easy to organize this elaborate plan, and secure all the prisoners of the apocalypse in one broken down city. Even vampires knew the law of the universe…

Whatever _happens_ in Vegas…_STAYS_ in Vegas.

**-x-**

"It's kind of calming. That sound." Bella was referring to the sound of the river, out past the hill, where it laid out through a valley. It was taunting Bella and Austin, who were the only two tired from all the walking.

"Not really." That was Justin. He had heard the river from a mile away, and as they walked, the sound began to get louder and louder and louder—

"Why are we going to the river? It's not even practical." Austin was just as tired as Bella, but he didn't want to stop. He couldn't afford lost time. He knew Bella would agree with him. Which she did.

"I know." Bella didn't look back at the three bodies following her own, only because she knew what each of their faces would look like. Justin, for whatever reason, would be smirking deviously, Austin would still be angry about Jude, but relief would wash over his face, and Edward…oh he'd be pissed.

And as if on cue, there was Edward, blocking Bella from walking any further. "No way," he said simply.

"No way what?"

"No way are we not _not_ going to the river."

"That's _not_ confusing." Bella went to brush past him, but his sparkling hand grabbed her wrist. Bella glared at him. "Don't start this."

"_I_ didn't. _You_ did."

Four little words were all it took to set Bella off. It made the hairs on the back of her neck stand, her jaw harden, and before she knew it, she was experiencing what it felt like to have strength beyond her capacity. It had been awhile, but it was like riding a bike; you never forget. Her right arm was thrown out towards the vampire, only as a distraction, where once he grabbed it, a simple lock and twist of his arm set him off his feet.

Edward was on his back in half a second, coughing out the sand that flew up in front of his face, with the river acting as the only background sound.

Bella's heart started to beat quickly, fear for what she was capable of coming back to her. She hated using her strength. Absolutely hated it. Felix had trained her years ago, forcing her to do this and that, eventually breaking her so that she wasn't afraid anymore.

Then she had killed someone without even trying to. It wasn't the same since. It was a blurry memory, but the blurry ones were usually just as frightening.

"What was that?" Justin came up beside her, his eyes wider than the sun over head. "No wonder The Guard wants you back. You're a lethal weapon, packaged in a teenage human body."

Bella's ears were ringing, the heat no doubt getting to her, but instead, Justin's voice was ticking her off. And when he stepped in front of her this time, she had had it with him. "Get away from me—" she was going to shove him, but Edward had stepped in front of him, making her freeze. The look on his face, pleading, made her stop.

She turned around and started walking again, away from the hill that led to the river, only to be cut off _again._

"Edward." She gave him _the look_. She didn't know how she threw him to the ground before, but she knew it was in her to do it again.

But Edward still thought he had a battle with her "Look at you Bella. You're barely keeping up in the heat—"

"I'm a hybrid! I'm fine!" Her fingers began to tingle, begging her to curl into a fist. "I've been trying to keep up all my life!" And all it took next was one clench of her fist, throwing it in his direction, for Edward to realize her strength. He had caught it in time, but remembered not to hurt her. He let go immediately in order not to make her any madder. "This place is fine considering where I've been. It's _not_ going to kill me- nothing can. And because of that, I think I can keep up _just fine_." Her heart beat was strong, only because of the anger pumping through her body. Edward said he would be on the same page as her, but he wasn't acting like he was.

Justin, on the other hand, was loving every minute of their bickering. If they kept it up, he would bet money that Bella would ditch Edward in a flash, just to prove her ability. She looked like the cocky type. In fact, he knew she was the cocky time.

"What are you smirking about?" Austin was staring at Justin, weirded out by how he always seemed to be in his own head, contemplating something.

"Oh nothing," Justin said.

"No it's something." Austin looked away from him.

"Justin knows I'm right," Bella spoke, removing herself from one issue, and into another. "He's the only one here who could actually understand where I come from."

Before Austin could ask her what that was supposed to mean, Edward cut in. "Austin is from The Guard too," he informed her.

Bella's eyes widened. She turned to look at Austin, the boy she had thought was human, but now apparently wasn't. If he was in The Guard…that meant…"You're a hybrid," she said plainly.

Austin looked at Edward, shocked he hadn't told her already. He looked back at Bella. "Yeah. I was in The Guard." He contemplated what he was going to say next. "I know everything."

Bella took that as knowing the tricks of the trade of belonging to The Guard. But she was wrong.

Austin continued. "I even know the rumours…the ones about you."

This was new to Edward. He hadn't heard about any rumours floating around in Austin's head before. And by the look on Bella's face, he could see that he wasn't supposed to know them. He was interested all the sudden.

"There were rumours of a revolution—a hybrid girl called Swan, organizing a day where The Guard could be turned over." Justin shifted uneasily. Memory lane wasn't somewhere he liked walking. It was a long time ago. He had heard the rumours—everyone had—and that's why Bella was the most closely watched member. But lucky for her, proof never came about. She was clean and smart with her organizing. Eventually though, her 'word of mouth' tactic got the plans to the wrong ears. Everything changed then.

"This is the first I'm hearing of that," Bella lied. She knew exactly what he was talking about, only it had happened five years ago when she was naïve and tired of waiting for something to happen to her. She still remembered the day quite clearly, just before being shipped away to Ireland. She remembered being quite distraught over The Guard decision to seperate her and Victoria. It was the day she knew she had had it, and to mark the day for her, she blew up one of the training room locations in Italy. No one knew who it was, but there was definitely a lot of buzz about a revolution. She hadn't even realized it would get _that_ far, but she went along with it eventually, and started an underground group that was just in the beginnings. Her planning was shot to shit with one slip up with one untrustworthy _doctor_. How she wasn't killed off was still unknown to her. She stopped messing around after that, but James till this day continued to question her.

"You don't need to play dumb with me—it's not like you can be ratted out the second time."

_That's true_, Bella thought to herself. But still, she wasn't budging on the subject. She still didn't know where she sat with it.

"You started The Resistance."

Now that's when Bella finally laughed. "I'm sorry, are you high? The Guard planned for someday a resistance group forming—it was going to happen with or without a stupid new hybrid fooling around."

"The night you blew up the training room, that was the start of The Resistance. To get an effect there needs to be a cause…you were the cause. You're legendary. It was the revolutionary start—you tested the waters, and then everyone else started to. Just because you chickened out later on didn't mean the intentions were forgotten—quite the opposite in fact."

Bella rolled her eyes, but Edward was staring in shock. "Carlisle told me about that. He had heard about a mishap in Italy, but everyone knew it was an inside job…that was you?" Edward's eyes trailed over the hybrid in front of him. How could this seemingly defenceless hybrid have had such an eventful past? She had Harriet Tubman fame.

"Would you stop looking at me like that Edward?" Bella glared at him, an uneasy feeling washing through her skin. She felt the sweat pooling under her clothes, the stickiness of her shirt beneath her hoodie, and her hair matted with dirt, making her itch.

"Sorry," he shrugged. "I just didn't know I was in the presence of such fame. You really did start something. I remember thinking the impossible _was_ possible."

"That's the lamest thing I've heard all day." Bella looked at Justin. "And I've heard a lot of lame things today."

"Well I'm just saying you gave the community who didn't really believe in the cause anymore some hope. Even if it took some time to get reorganized again, we needed that symbol of betrayal to show it was possible."

"It was stupid. And it hurt more people in the end anyway—and I'm not talking about this anymore!" Bella turned to start walking again, but caught herself in a thought. She turned back around to look at Austin. "Where's your mark? All members have marks."

"Yeah I do. But believe it or not, I don't like reminding myself that I have one. I'm sure you understand that much."

_Owned,_ Bella thought to herself. She became angry. "You know what. I think the river would be great right now. Besides, if you and I really know The Guard, why are we kidding ourselves? Jude isn't alive—"

"Bella!"

"It's true Edward! The minute they find out she isn't me, the hybrid, what then? Lunch—"

"You're just angry that you actually believed in The Guard." Austin shoved past her, and actually headed towards the river. He looked over his shoulder at her. "Tell me Bella, how many years does it take to realize something bad is bad?"

Bella looked to the ground, her stomach hollowing out.

"Exactly. You know what? You're still a member of The Guard. Just because you deny it now, doesn't mean you won't tomorrow. You're a flip/flop. You enjoy being here and there—an indecisive prick."

Edward growled lowly, but Bella shushed him. She needed to hear this.

"You know what. I actually think now you're right. Those rumours of you starting The Resistance are just that- _rumours_." He looked away from her, his hands balling into fists as he made his way to the river. Hopefully it would cool him off.

"Wow." Justin murmured, only to be shot with a glare from Edward.

Bella on the other hand, was off in her head. Somewhere she hated to be, but most times, it was the only place that accepted her.

-x-

Bella told Justin and Edward she wanted to be alone. Instead of following them down to where Austin was undressing, she went about twenty meters up the river from them, and plunked herself down on the ledge.

She didn't have to blink away any tears; they simply weren't falling. Austin's words didn't bother her because it was _all_ true. She _was _a flip/flop. A nomad. Someone who didn't belong anywhere, and probably never would…that is if she kept up her indecisiveness.

But what bothered Bella was that she _did_ know where she belonged. Or at least, today she did. She was against what The Guard believed in…but Austin was right; there were several times in her life that The Guard was everything to her.

_Stupid,_ she thought to herself, removing one of her beat up shoes and throwing it behind her. The other one followed suit, along with her hoodie. Her skin actually seemed to breathe in a sign of relief; it had been awhile since some sort of fabric wasn't chafing against her bare arms. She took off her shirt next, placing it beside her, choosing not to look down at the many half moon scars placed from her past. It usually scared her to remember—scars did that. Luckily she wasn't capable of seeing all the scars on her back—even more there than her rib cage.

Bella's jeans came off next, only because she didn't own any socks to take off. She was left sitting at the edge of the river, just her dirty sports bra and boy short underwear on. Oddly enough, she didn't feel exposed.

Then she dropped in.

Her eardrums clogged with water as soon as her head plunged under the water, her eyes blurring from the cloudiness of the water. This disorientation would normally have frightened her a bit, but at the moment, she really didn't care. She let the water push her a ways down the river for a few seconds, and then she popped up through the surface. It only took another second for her body to be pushed one way, hitting into a rock placed at the center of the river. It hurt for a second, but it helped her gain a spot on the river to remain stationary on. Bella's teeth chattered from the shock of the cold water on her skin, and her eyes were bug eyed from gazing into space at nothing. She felt so out of it.

"Relax Bella, it's like you've never been swimming before." Edward was on a rock near hers, staring at her. She was acting strange, more animalistic, maybe more vampire. It was scaring him—he didn't like seeing her act out.

"Of course I _h-have_," Bella stammered, wiping the water off her face. Mud dripped off her neck, her skin slowly beginning to reveal her true form again. "I just—why does it matter? Right. It doesn't."

Edward didn't say anything. The mood was changing from dark to darker, and he wanted to dig her out of it but he didn't know how. Sometimes, being a listener was all he could offer.

Bella watched the water dance around her rock, smoothly sweeping away the gunk off her body. Even the rock she was leaning over was now coated in what had coated her. She touched the side of her face, feeling the muck that was still there, and then splashed some water up onto her, washing everything away.

"Edward?" Bella looked over to see him already in eye contact with her.

His jaw clenched from the look at her face. "What's the matter?" he asked after Justin disappeared under the water, and then reappeared beside the river ledge. He joined Austin on the side, who barely had been in the water at all.

"Why did you leave your family?" Bella asked lowly.

Edward cocked an eyebrow. He didn't even know what to say to that. It was the topic that always came up when something else bad was going to happen. "Why did I leave?"

"Yeah."

Edward stared at Bella until her eyes were no longer on his, and instead were off in the distance of the Utah background, and presumably her own background. He hesitated. "I left because I didn't belong," he told her.

She sighed. "That's why I left too…" Bella wiped a piece of her hair out of her eyes. "And it's so stupid because looking for a place to belong—a literal place—is impossible."

Edward looked away from her, but agreed. "I know."

"You do? Because I still find myself having to remind myself what I am running around looking for, when right here, right now, this could be it for me. What's not to like about this—" Bella let go of her rock, the water slowly pushing her down the river. She was able to grab onto the ledge and pull herself up. She looked at Edward, still clutching onto his rock, his face placed back on hers. "I could be happy with this…" Bella opened up her hands and looked down at her bare skin, and then trailed her eyes over the dirt on the ground and the sky above her.

Edward understood what she meant. How impossible it was to find that kind of happiness that could fill you up forever. He thought about this while he swam back to the ledge, and pulled himself up to sit next to her.

Bella flipped her wrist over, her tattoo now completely clear of the mud. But instead of shuddering away from it, she stared down at it, not letting it frighten her.

"I hated you so much for leaving your family." Bella continued to stare down at her wrist, tracing the numbers. "But now I know why you did it. It was why I left. It's why everyone leaves their families…"

The sun above Bella's head was already making her hot, the droplets on her skin drying up. Beside her, Edward was sparkling like glitter, reflecting onto Bella's skin.

"Everyone feels claustrophobic. Parents smother their children until they can't stand it any longer. Why _wouldn't_ we leave?"

Edward looked at Bella out of the corner of her eye. Her skin was pure white now, clear of dirt. He had never seen so much of her skin at once. Her body, although a little skinny, was muscular in areas, but that wasn't what caught his attention; it was the half moon scars, clumped near her rib cage, some near her shoulders, some near her waist.

Edward had to clear his throat to snap him out of his staring. They were scars of her past, and that's probably where she wanted them to stay. "That's true."

"What's true?"

He thought for a second, and then spoke. "That when we feel claustrophobic, we leave. It's why I left. It's why you left…twice. But then you also left The Guard…twice." Edward was smiling now, making Bella smile. "Do you ever _not_ feel claustrophobic?" He grinned to show the light heartedness of the question, even though somewhere inside him he knew it was real.

Bella grinned as well. "Well fuck…I guess not. Maybe the apocalypse was good for me. It sure cleared everyone out…kinda nice, you know, to be alone. Out hear, in the vast unknown, although at times it can be a little creepy, it can be exhilarating," Bella admitted. "And besides, the unknown brings out fear in all of us, and experiencing fear means you're alive. If we're living, breathing, _and feeling_…I think that can be enough."

"That's true." Edward took her hand in his. "And I think _this_ can be enough as well."

She shrugged. "Sure. For now, anyway."

If only they knew the bliss wouldn't last.

-x-

"I'm sorry."

"Bella it's ok."

"No it's not. It was insensitive of me to say that."

"I know," Austin shrugged. "But you're the insensitive type. It's to be expected. And besides, I've already forgiven you so you can't do anything about it."

"Well I still feel bad."

"That's you're problem, not mine."

"I know. But it still sucks."

"You know what else sucks?"

"I know, I know. Ok fine. I get it. But I'm still sorry."

"Don't apologize. It shows you're weak." Austin winked at her after, and then walked past her. And even though she knew the quote from their past organization was supposed to be poking fun, she took it to heart.

"Well I don't know what else to tell you. We're going to get her back—"

"Bella! Shut up! If you don't stop, I'm going to suggest to Edward that you stay behind here at the river, and you'll never know if a happy ending comes my way or not."

"I'm not even going to comment on that. You're being childish now."

"That's not being childish," he looked back at her over his shoulder, and noticed the look on her face. It stopped him in his tracks. "What are you thinking now? God, I now know how Edward feels. You're so all over the place. One minute you're fine, the next, you're not. It's so annoy—"

"Oh my God! I just realized something!" she cut him off.

"What now Bella…" Austin groaned.

Her eyes locked with Austin's. "Demetri."

Austin's heart stopped for a second. The look on her face, full of hope and ideas…he didn't want to be the guy to shatter it. He played along instead. "What about him?"

"He can locate Jude for us. He's a tracker. Why didn't I think of this before—God, I haven't even seen him since…" she lost her train of thought…only because she suddenly remembered something. The night she had been taken…the last image she saw. Demetri on the ground, his face blank and eyes wide open.

Austin shifted, and walked up in front of Bella. He pulled off his toque and scratched his head. He saw what she was thinking. "Bella he's…well…not…"

"Excuse me." Bella pushed through him, and started down the hill towards Edward. Anger pumped through her, but that was fuelled by fear— fear for her friend, and that maybe she had lost another one in such a short time. Fuck, was she _so_ dangerous that anybody that came near her eventually ceased to exist. If that were the case, why the fuck was she making everybody's life worse being here? She was putting people in danger by just existing herself.

Edward was busy arguing with Austin when he caught a glimpse of the furry coming his way. He couldn't believe how easily she went from zero to ten. He prepared for her wrath by stepping around Justin just as she opened her mouth, and yelled at him.

"Edward! Why didn't you tell me! You could have said something! He was my friend!"

"Bella calm down, what are you talking about?" Edward touched her shoulder, but that only made her erupt. Her jaw tightened, her fists curled, and her eyes…they were more menacing than he had ever seen.

And she surprised him by turning her back on him and walking away.

"Bella I…" he stopped himself when he caught the look over her shoulder, just as hurt and angered as before. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose when she walked down the river, eventually out of sight.

"Wow." Justin turned to look at Edward. "I think she wants to be alone for awhile, that's for sure."

Edward opened his eyes to see Justin grinning. And then one thing led to another, and his fist was coming in contact with Justin's face. He was on the ground in two seconds, cursing.

"Fucking hell, you prick! You're just as crazy as her!" Justin stood up and shoved Edward, but Edward shoved him back just as quickly. Then Austin was suddenly in the mix, hollering in between the cursing and hissing, trying to split up the cat fight.

"Hey! Quit it!" Austin had both hands on the vampire's chests, standing in between two forms that could rip him to shit. But he was used to standing in the middle, trying to relieve conflicts before they got worse.

But they weren't listening. Edward was too angry that Bella was mad at him—again—and that at any moment, she could walk out of his life. He decided to show his anger by this time shoving Austin out of the way, the hybrid falling to the ground instantly.

"Oh nice. Pick on the weak guy. Very tough," Justin said slyly, a smirk on his face that would surely make everything worse.

It did. But not with Edward fighting back this time. It was Austin. In one swift movement, he was off the ground, air born, and with a kick to Justin's chest, he had knocked the vampire to the ground.

Edward stopped in shock, but his shoulders were still curled over to prepare for anything.

Austin finally had a chance to get a word in. Both vampires were at attention, clearly never seeing any sort of fighting like he had just shown for a hybrid. "You two need to stop this."

Edward glared down at Justin, as if to say 'He's talking to you', but Austin caught it.

"I'm serious Edward! Do you even care why your girlfriend—if she's even that to you—ran off, upset?"

Edward looked off in the distance where Bella had disappeared to, and then sighed. "Yes. I don't know what I said…"

"It's what you didn't say. You forgot to tell her about Demetri!"

Edward covered his face and groaned into his hands, and then dropped them down to his sides. "That's it?"

"That's it? God you're insensitive. He was her friend I bet. You know how hard it is to make friends in The Guard? You wouldn't because you were off whining about life and how unfair it is. Well imagine how unfair it was for her. You don't even know how much smoke The Guard blows up everyone's asses in order to paint the picture they want to see, and all the while they are turning this vampire against that vampire, making it impossible to have any allies."

Edward dropped his head.

"Bella was living a fucked up life, and you know what, she made it work for her. Imagine knowing the last person that helped you through hell, you couldn't save in the end. That would suck, eh?"

Edward took a deep breath and finally looked at Austin. He nodded in defeat. "Yes. It would…" He didn't know what else to say. But he did know that if he chased after Bella right now, she might just run the other way. "Would you go find her, for me, and talk to her? I don't want to lose her."

"I will," Justin offered. "I think I can talk some sense into her."

"Hell no. You're not going anywhere near her." Edward pointed to Austin. "I trust him to go and bring her back. Not you."

"Of course I'll go talk to her. I don't know about what. But I'll try."

"Just bring her back here." Edward walked past him, and headed up the hill to be alone as well.

-x-

"Bella."

"I'm angry. I'm irrational. I want to be alone."

"I know. But when people want to be alone, they usually shouldn't be." Austin took a seat next to her on the rock, and joined her in watching the sunset. It was hot out still, but the wind was picking up and blowing the dirt around, cooling them slowly..

"That's bullshit."

"I don't think so. People do stupid things when they're alone."

"People do stupid things regardless."

Austin laughed.

"What's so funny?"

He shook his head.

"Come on. I promise I won't bite your head off and swallow."

"But you might chew it…"

Bella gave him an unimpressed look.

He laughed again. "I swear, you're running off the shortest fuse ever. I don't know how Edward can stand it."

"He's running off a shorter one, that's why."

Austin didn't say anything to that. It was true; tonight proved it.

"Demetri's really gone." Bella didn't make this into a question, but Austin could tell she wasn't just thinking out loud.

"Yes…they got him good from what I could tell. We left to search for you and Jude right after we found him."

Bella couldn't believe how everything had turned out. She had started scheming with Victoria, and that had killed her, then Bella had left The Guard with Demetri, and that killed him. Now, she started talking to Jude, and she was missing…which meant…

"What are you thinking about?" Austin nudged her with his elbow, removing her from her thoughts.

"The people I'm hurting by simply breathing," she admitted. Strangely enough, it made him laugh at her. "What? You don't believe me? Look where it's gotten us. People are dead and are going to be dead—no offence—because of me."

"Maybe you should hold your breath."

"Maybe I will." Bella stood, and threw the rock she had been holding into the distance, watching it land and crack on several larger rocks. The perfect metaphor for her life, probably.

"I don't know how any of this is Edward's fault. He just didn't think to tell you."

"No. He just thought I'd freak out, and held back the information in order to protect me."

"So wasn't he right then in doing that?"

Bella glared at Austin. But it was true. She didn't know what to say. Instead of talking, she turned her back to him and started walking.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going back to the river, and I'm going to wait for the fucking Cullen's and everyone else who wants to make this situation much slower for us, and then I'm going to let them _help_ us find The Guard."

Austin grinned. "Thought so, you drama Queen."

"Oh go fuck yourself, you stupid hybrid."

-x-

"They've been gone awhile." Edward stood up and started pacing. He was feeling anxious. What if Bella had finally cracked, and decided this wasn't worth it. What if something else happened?

"You worry too much. It's annoying. Just enjoy the alone time." Justin threw a rock into the river, and then another one. He was still boiling over the fight, but he couldn't get into it with Edward again or else he would no longer have a place in their stupid coven- if you could even call it that.

"Maybe when you get a girlfriend—not that I think you ever will—you'll understand what I'm going through."

"Again, I don't think she's you're girlfriend."

"Well I know she's not yours, that's for sure."

"Shut up."

"No you shut up. You're just trying to provoke me—and it's working."

"No seriously, shut up! I hear something." Justin stood up and angled his head to hear better. And sure enough, he heard voices in the distance, coming from over the hillside. After a minute or two of listening, the voices, and sounds of feet being dragged though the dirt, began to get louder and louder, until finally, figures on the hilltop were visible in the darkness. "I'll be damned. Looks like you won't be as alone as we thought."

Edward stared up at the figures slowly descending the hillside towards the river. He knew immediately who it was; his family, their resistance group, and even his, were all making their way towards them.

But one figure seemed to stand out more than the others. Both Justin and Edward noticed him last, dragging behind the others, a grin on his face.

"Is that—" Edward cut Justin off.

"Yep." Edward grinned hugely. "Damn right it is."

**-x-**

**A/N:** I actually am sorry that this one was so delayed. My reason is that this story is the last on my list of things that need to get done in my life. But also saying that, don't feel I have some elaborate, busy life, because I really don't. I'm mostly lazy.

Also, thank you to the people who have been keeping up with this story from the very beginning. I'm glad you have not given up yet. And of course, the people who are just coming across it now…I say HELLO!

**Song: La La Land by Demi Lovato**


	21. Won't Get Fooled Again

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer thought up the characters before I could.

**Refresher: **In the last chapter, Bella freaked out at Edward for not telling her Demetri was dead. She then goes off to sit alone with Austin and just be angry. Back at the river, Justin and Edward are not getting along, but they are interrupted when they see something coming down the hill, and sure enough the figure behind the rest is…

**Chapter 21: Won't Get Fooled Again**

"_Smile and grin at the change all around…"- The Who_

-x-

The Doctor was a brilliant one. His eye for detail and concentrated technique were two of the many reasons he had landed a Job for The Guard in the first place. The night he had seen Demetri all ripped to shit, he knew his colourful background in bringing vampires back to being—for lack of a better term—would be useful. Putting a vampire back together was like _Humpty Dumpty_, minus the glue part.

Jones felt a sense of pride in his stomach as he walked down the hill towards Edward and Justin, like a sense of accomplishment in knowing he had finally done something right. He loved the look of shock in both their eyes, and he knew he had made the impossible, possible.

Jones looked over his shoulder at the vampire he had helped bring back. Demetri, with his hair wind blown, and eyes and teeth glowing from the dusk, looked better than great; he looked alive. Jones turned forward again, but this time he had Demetri's contagious smile on his own face. _Yes_, even thought Demetri was someone Jones had never gotten along with, he had his moments where he could tolerate him from afar.

But then there was Emmett. He was the kind of guy who liked to act in the spur of the moment, kind of like Edward, but more physical than anything. "Where the hell is Bella?" Emmett actually shoved through Jones this time, which wasn't surprising at all to the Doctor. None of the Cullen's seemed to like him.

But Emmett was right to be nervous. Bella was no where in sight…which wasn't good considering she was the key to everything for The Guard. Jones knew this because he knew how they thought; back stabbing was only cured with revenge, and Bella was number one on that list. It only made sense to them to wipe out the hybrid girl that ruined everything—well nearly did, if he hadn't have opened his mouth in the first place. Years ago, when Bella was just testing the waters with ideas of something better, _he_ had made the mistake to trust James in their underground plan, which later turned out to be, well, stupid. Jones to this day still couldn't believe The Guard hadn't disposed of Bella, but he knew they were too blinded by her potential to do that.

Jones was taken out of memory lane though when he came up to Edward, and watched him coldly receive hugs from his mom and one of his sisters. The rest stayed a good distance from him. Jones spoke up first. "Looks like the plan worked. We're all safe and sound so far in. Demetri is here too." Jones looked over his shoulder, but only the thirty or forty vampires and humans they had brought together were circling around, making it more difficult to spot the vampire that was no longer grinning on the hill top. He couldn't spot him. "Or at least he was…"

"He's off to _surprise_ _Bella_, I guess," Edward said, his jealous tone not going unnoticed by spectators. Edward turned to Alice, not wanting to dwell on Bella's so called 'platonic' relationship with Demetri anymore. He had to admit, he _was_ jealous of Demetri. How come he couldn't have the little 'platonic' relationship Demetri and Bella had? It would be so much easier not to have to live in the moment, on the edge, barely able to exhale every time Bella wasn't somewhere he couldn't be. It would be bliss to have her in his life as someone he cared for…but not as much as he did. He cared too much for her, and too much of anything gets you in trouble.

"I see." Jones rubbed his head. "And Jude…what's her status?"

"Beats us." Justin looked at Alice. "Shouldn't you be asking her?"

Edward snorted. "She isn't notorious for hitting the nail on the head."

Alice glared at him, but it was Jasper taking the most offence. "Oh and that really means something coming from _you,_" Jasper said, shaking his head in disbelief. "You're barely holding on over here without a visual of your _precious cargo_."

Rosalie smirked at that one. It felt good to have Edward put in his place without having to do it herself.

Carlisle wasn't in the mood though. "I'm wondering why she isn't here," he said, catching everyone's attention with his calm, yet assertive voice. "Has she…left?" Carlisle knew what 'left' would mean to everyone, and didn't have to explain further.

But Edward took it the wrong way. "Of course not! She may have left _you_, but she's not leaving _me_."

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah?" she made a dramatic look all around the group, and when she came up with nothing, she leaned in towards Edward, and whispered, "then where is she?"

Edward held it together tough, knowing Rosalie wanted him to snap. "On a walk. Demetri is going to get her. God forbid she be left alone for a second."

"A second could be too long for someone like her," Jones told him.

Everyone eyed him wearily, but the old lady vampire, Treena, spoke before he could. "She can hold her own. I've never met her, but she sounds like someone who knows how to keep herself alive without any help. She's survived this long, hasn't she?"

"I'm sorry…_Treena_ was it?" Jones asked the beautiful, elderly vampire. She cocked an eye at him, and he continued. "I believe you're unaware of the current and past situations with The Guard—"

"I'm not blind and I'm especially _not_ deaf. I know what's going on, and for you to even suggest otherwise is ignorant."

"I'm not sorry for coming off ignorant. You know what they say—"

"Ignorance is _not_ bliss in this day and age, trust me. Knowledge is power, and right now, The Guard has it all; the brains, the muscle, _and_ the girl."

"Bella is _just_ around the corner. She's not with them anymore!" Edward pointed down the river, where Demetri had wondered off up the slope to see her. "If you don't believe me, go for a walk like she did." Edward couldn't take it much further. He was about to break out of the tension, but Treena caught him off guard.

"Edward, have you forgotten what we are even all here for? Bella isn't the only girl in trouble anymore."

Edward stared at the old lady, the wrinkles on her face not even taking away from her beauty, but instead enhancing it. Sometimes, he really did get too caught up in everything to realize he wasn't the only one with problems.

"Jude is both the key and the flaw in the system." Treena was no longer just talking to Edward. "Let's face it—she's bait when they figure out she's not the one they want. And we need to decide if we'll take it or not."

"I think we've already made that decision by being here," Alice said, stepping forward. Now even the outside vampires of the group were turning their heads to listen. Alice had that affect on people. "It's important to fight for what is yours, otherwise everything will eventually be taken away."

"Good." The old lady looked to Edward. "Then we will fight."

Edward looked away, his head and heart fearful now, because he knew with every fight, a loss occurred. _And God_, he didn't want it to be his.

-x-

The sun had gone down a half hour ago, leaving the twilight filled night to slowly creep into darkness. The stars were barely poking through the dark swirls of cloud, as with the moon, which was hidden by a blanket of purple and black. It was the perfect night to have the daylight shocked out of you, or at least, that's what Demetri was thinking of for Bella.

Demetri couldn't help but smile when he finally made it up the slope, around the corner, and saw Bella, sitting next to someone else, completely oblivious that he was sneaking up on her. He hadn't seen her since before the night he had come across Jude being cornered by some guard vampires. Everything after that was gone, until Dr. Jones put some light back into his eyes, making what a few days he had been gone feel like seconds.

"I thought I was ready to see everyone, but I can't," Bella admitted.

"It's fine. No rush. They're probably not even here yet," the boy beside her said. Demetri noticed he was pretty nice to her. _Edward has some competition_, he thought to himself, which only made him smirk.

Bella nodded, and stared out into the dark sky. It allowed some silence to creep up between them, but she put a stop to it immediately. "You know, Jude is pretty smart. I think she'll be fine."

Demetri carefully leaped up onto a ledge, where after taking a seat, he was able to dangle his feet and just listen to the conversation below. He did this for a few minutes, simply enjoying hearing Bella's voice talk openly—in fact, he had never heard her sound so trusting to someone other than Victoria or himself. He didn't know how he felt about Bella moving on from one shoulder to cry on to the next, except, Bella wasn't really the crying on the shoulder type, so it didn't bother him _too_ much.

"But Austin…you do know something...if I…well if Jude…" Demetri leaned in closer. Bella was having a rough time spitting whatever was bothering her out. "They probably know Jude isn't me by now…and the only way…well…I know that a trade off could be an option."

Demetri nearly fell of the ledge. His chest started to get tense, his jaw hurt from clenching it so bad, but luckily, the person she was sitting with had enough sense to talk some into her.

"As tempting as that offer is Bella…it's not right."

"Well just think about it, okay? Because I know I have. I can handle myself around them—I've been taught by the best…" Bella began to think about her past, but not about the bad parts. Actually, it was Demetri she thought of. She thought about how much she hated him, and how much she cared for him, but mostly, how much she hated him. It was what made her relationship with him so tricky. She hadn't really warmed up to him until the last couple years of her stay at The Guard, but even then, she still had to avoid him during tense times.

It was quiet next. Just the wind, and a few night crawlers made the background noise. It was the perfect time for Demetri to cut in. He spoke lowly, not because he didn't want to scare her, but just so she had to listen closer. "Thinking of me?"

Both Austin and Bella's heads snapped around to look at Demetri, but it was Bella who fell off the rock at the sight of the vampire that shouldn't exist.

"Jeez it's like you've seen a ghost," Demetri said, stepping up onto a rock near the one Bella had just been on, and then staring out into the sky. He grinned again when he noticed Bella was still on the ground, staring in shock, her eyes so wide.

Bella couldn't believe it. Here she had taken time away from her day to mourn the loss of her friend…and now she had nothing to mourn. He was here…like_ really_ here. "Demetri." She stood up slowly, and then looked at Austin to check if he was seeing what she was seeing. He looked at her too, knowing from the look in her eyes that this vampire was the one she was upset over.

"How are things?" Demetri looked around and then back at Bella, trying to play off the reunion as completely ordinary.

But Bella was up off the ground and tackling him before he could get anything else in. He stepped off the rock with her in his arms, and swung her around in the most cliché, yet best hug possible. Everything was like a happy ending…minus the happy or the ending. Because he knew they were far from both.

"Demetri you don't even know what's been going on." Bella pulled herself away from him, but when she tried to come up with words to describe the experiences she had gone through and seen, she gave up and was hugging him tightly again.

"No I know everything. I've been filled in." Demetri pulled away from her this time, leaving her to hug her arms around herself, looking at the ground.

"Oh, you have?"

"Yeah." he grinned. She looked up at him. "They're all here now. We have a plan. It's kind of crazy. I know where The Guard is holding Jude."

Bella looked at Austin, noticing how quiet he went from hearing this.

"They're somewhere in the southern part of Nevada. I'll know more when I follow Jude's mind a bit closer."

Bella smiled. "Jesus, now I know why The Guard kept you around. Your gift is pretty useful."

"Yeah, and if not that, it was definitely my charm."

Bella laughed, but shook her head at him. "Doubt it. You're hard to like."

"Your Cullen's seem to like me."

This caught Bella off guard. She stared at him, her head somewhere else now, but she managed to speak. "I see…they're _all_ here?"

"Yup. A lotta people down there."

"Swell," Bella said sarcastically. But neither of the boys laughed. They could see really did have issues working in larger groups.

"And who's this?" Demetri eyed Austin wearily, whereas Austin remained still on the rock, an unimpressed look on his face.

"Oh. That's Austin," Bella said, shrugging.

"Oooh. The Hybrid boy. Nice." Demetri gave Austin a devious smile, just to put him on his toes.

"Excuse me?" Austin stood. "I'm not _just_ a hybrid boy. I'm the one who wants Jude back."

Demetri laughed. "Well I want her back too, so I don't know what you mean by that."

Bella swallowed the lump in her throat when Austin looked at her with a confused expression. She cringed when Austin gave Demetri an amused look next. He was mocking him now. "I'm sorry? You want her back? Jude. _My_ Jude?"

"Umm I don't think she belongs to anyone so I can want her back as well."

"She was never _yours_ in the first place, so there is no 'back'. Who do you think you are?" Austin then shoved Demetri in the chest, the typical guy thing to do over a girl that probably wasn't thinking about either of them.

And she really wasn't…

-x-

_**Las Vegas, Nevada**_

Jude had woken up with a headache, a dry mouth, and a lump on the side of her forehead an hour ago, and after the grogginess wore off only two minutes ago, the reality of where she was finally set in.

She was lying on a cement floor, her back pressing against the edge of the cement wall. But she wasn't alone. When she lifted her head to look around, she saw twenty others, some walking around, and some sitting, all trapped in the cold, dark room like her.

Her surroundings told her to panic.

She took quick breaths in and out, her side hurting from an injury she couldn't remember. She lifted herself off the floor, her head rushing, and forcing her back to hit the cement wall. Her legs shook, and after only ten seconds of standing, she slipped down the wall, back onto her ass, and closed her eyes.

"You're not a hybrid, are you?"

Jude didn't know where the voice was coming from, but when she opened her eyes, a little girl, probably in her early teens, was kneeling in front of her, staring into her swollen face.

"What gives you that impression?"

The girl laughed. "Hybrids don't groan in pain."

Jude swallowed. That was probably true.

"Don't worry, they can't tell unless they try to kill you, and then you'll be dead, and then they'll probably know."

"Yeah. Death would be a huge giveaway."

"Although, not quite a bad option now. You'd at least be able to avoid all of this."

"And what exactly is 'all of this'?"

"Pain. Probably a lot of it."

Jude closed her eyes. "Oh perfect."

"You're in a hybrid holding room right now. We're being moved, put into the other sections later on. You'll be with the humans later. You're lucky. It's just the waiting game now."

"I don't think that's how it's going to go down with me, exactly…"

"Oh please, unless you're the Swan girl they're speaking of, you're fine."

"Well I may not be her, but they sure as hell think I am."

The girl stopped to stare at her, checking to see if Jude was kidding or not. Jude shrugged. The girl's eyes widened. "Oh…" She looked into space. "That's not good."

Jude smiled, and laid her head back on the cement wall, closing her eyes. "Tell me about it."

**-x-**

**Utah**

**10pm. **

**(continued from before)**

"Demetri, just…stop it." Bella had already had it with him. It was crazy how being apart from him seemed to do nothing with their bickering.

"_Me_ stop it? What about him?" Demetri pointed a finger in Austin's face, which he swatted away. "I don't remember Jude even saying she had a boyfriend, so I'm going off that. Shows how much she meant to you—" Demetri was cut off by Austin, quite literally.

Austin slammed into Demetri, bringing him to the ground with an ear breaking clash. Demetri received the first punch to the left side of his face, and then a blow to the chest before he kicked Austin off of him, and gained the advantage by flipping him under his body and throwing punches wherever a body part came towards him.

"DEMETRI STOP IT!" Bella threw herself towards the vampire, knocking him off target for a second. He flipped over onto the left side of Austin, opening up a chance for Bella to help Austin up. Demetri saw red instantly, losing any rational thoughts, and instead of calling off the childish fight, he charged again.

Bella saw him coming this time, and chose to block.

The piercing break was heard first, sounding almost like a tree being endlessly crushed. Then the pain came, only for Bella though, and ended just as quickly, allowing her to fuel her anger for everything, pushing her over the limit. She was pinned between Demetri and a wall of rock, the latter she used to propel her body off, and out of Demetri's grasp. She swung hard at him, aiming for his face, but he grabbed her wrist, twisted it around her back, and locked it there; the pain ran up her arm instantly.

And then she remembered this situation several years ago, a training session between herself and him, and what he had taught her to do when she was pinned. Bella grinned through the pain, because it was all too perfect, and before Demetri could blink, she back flipped out of the hold, kicked him towards the wall, and had him pinned against it instead.

Everything went still, and Bella expected him to give up then…but he only did a mocking laugh.

"So you _were_ paying attention that time," he said through her hold on him.

Bella dropped her arms instantly, losing the pleasure in it all, and backed away from him to allow him to straighten. She felt defeated by him, which made her angry.

"You okay?" Austin asked her, moving to shield her from Demetri. Demetri didn't like that.

"Oh of course, here comes the knight," Demetri said, stepping closer to Austin. "Too bad you weren't there to save Jude."

"From what I've been told, you weren't that much help either. Probably made it worse in fact—" Austin was cut off by Demetri punching him again, the force of it pushing him to the ground.

"Demetri, QUIT IT!" Bella went to simply step in front of him, but he over reacted, and instead of ignoring her, he grabbed her by the shoulders, lifted her off the ground, and pinned her against a large boulder. She tried to shove his chest away from hers, but he only lifted her wrists above her head and painfully held them above her head. Bella's back was shaped like the oval rock, her torso shoved against his while he leaned over her, his face two inches from her face…

And then Edward had to walk in right at that moment, reading the anger in their eyes as something else…

He didn't even make himself known. He turned just as quickly as he had come in, not even noticing that Austin was there to witness his confusion.

It was all so wrong.

"Guys, Edward…"

Demetri instantly straightened upward, knowing Edward would break him if he knew he had tried to hurt Bella. Demetri frantically looked around, and when he came up with nothing, he glared at Austin. "Ok, you got me." He turned his back on Bella and began to walk away. "This is stupid anyway."

"No, he was here! He saw you two and…the look on his face...I think he thought something else—"

"What?" Bella flew off the boulder and ran down the path and around the corner as fast as she could through the darkness, and sure enough, Edward had made his way down the slope and was walking back towards the river. "Edward! Edward stop!" she yelled after him, running at full speed down the hill, chasing after him. He kept the same tense pace the entire time, his shoulders curled over and fists balled up. She feared for what he thought he had seen, and knew she would be just as angry if she had seen something like that between him and someone else. "Edward what's the matter with you—"

"What's the matter with _me_?" he asked, spinning around on the spot. It may have been dark, but Bella could see the anger in his face, but what she couldn't see was that it was covering his heartbreak. "What's the matter with _you _is the better question!"

"Edward! You're being a fucking idiot right now! Nothing—"

"I sure feel like one Bella! I loved you…and you know what, that means nothing now! I was a fool to fall for you!"

"Edward for you to even suggest I don't love you tells me _you_ must not love _me_!"

"I guess were the same there then, but I do know you have feelings for _that vampire_," he spat the last part and took a step closer to her, just to scare her away.

But Bella didn't back down. She was seeing a new side of him now. It was his untrusting side, where he was too overprotective and ignorant to hear her.

And since he wouldn't listen, Bella let him have it. "You're _un-fucking-believable_, Edward." She turned her back for a second to walk away, but then turned around again to make sure he felt stupid. "Demetri and I? Really Edward? Would this be before or after he beat the shit out of me moments ago, or in the past when he was killing me every other day just to teach me a lesson?"

Edward shook his head at her, but before he could turn to leave, Bella shoved him in the chest. He glared at her. "Walk away Bella, right now."

"Well you're not hearing me! Demetri is an asshole!" Bella shoved him again, and then when the third attempt came around, instead of letting it happen, Edward grabbed her, locked her wrists together, spun her so that her back was against his chest, and kept her there. His shoulders were tense and curled over hers, and his breathing deepened as the seconds ticked on, his throat burning just like the first night he had met her.

Then he let her go, because he knew he was past being careful with her. As angry as he was, he knew he was capable of doing something he would regret. He turned his back on her instead, and decided he didn't want to hear anything else. "You're good, Bella. I'll give you that. You almost had me there," he said over his shoulder as he walked away.

"Yeah well apparently I'm a _great actress_!" She picked up a rock from the ground and threw it at his back, but he ignored the light hit and continued walking. "I've never wanted anyone in my life until I met you Edward! Remember that so you can cry yourself awake at night when you find out how blind you are!"

Edward shook his head and kept walking away.

"I hate the day I met you Edward! You just killed the only thing good in your life, and the only good thing in mine! You're a fool!" Bella yelled, but this time, he didn't even acknowledge that he heard her. And it was then, in between holding back her rage against Edward, and the fact that she was letting him walk away, that Bella decided she didn't need another vampire in her life that didn't trust her. That left her with the only option to turn around, and walk the other direction, away from the boy that was no longer her light.

Edward didn't know what he would do now. He figured he'd walk back to camp and decide what to do next from there, knowing he'd leave the group if Bella decided to stay.

But what he didn't know was that Bella had already made that decision for him; she had no intentions to go back to the camp, and because she no longer had something keeping her on the right side of the track, she made the hasty decision to trek off on her own and head to Nevada herself.

-x-

"What happened?" Alice didn't startle Edward from behind, only because he had heard her running to him from down the river, where every other part of his family and others were setting up camp, preparing for an early start in the morning.

"For once in your life Alice, just stop it." Edward had been avoiding his family for over an hour now, just watching from atop a boulder where he wanted to sit and think for the rest of the night. He didn't want to talk about anything though, because he knew what he saw, and it had killed him to see it. He was so angry with everything that he didn't even know how to show it. Instead, he shut down, which he was something he was quite familiar with.

"Well is Bella okay! I saw the vision only moments before it happened, so I couldn't stop her from getting into it with Demetri, and Carlisle said to let it go―"

"Of course Carlisle said that. He never wanted me to taint his precious daughter in the first place."

"Edward! What the hell are you talking about?..."

"I should never have given her a second look."

"What is the matter with you?— "

"Oh not you too!" Edward stood up on the rock and jumped down, but Alice was in front of him, her hand on his chest to prevent an easy escape. "Alice. Move," he growled.

"You don't even know what you've done," Alice said in disbelief. She stared at him in shock. Her brother really was a fool in love. Now her other visions of Bella leaving the group made so much sense!

"What _I've_ done? Really? You're confused Alice, and when Demetri gets back—oh look, there he is now—you can ask him what _he's_ done. Better yet, I'll go ask him for you."

Alice tried to stop him, but Edward wasn't willing to look at the vision where Bella and Demetri had fought. He simply stalked off towards the fire, where Demetri and Austin were now coming up to as well.

"Where's Bella?" Demetri immediately asked, even before taking a look at Edward. He had waited for over an hour for her to come back to the top of the slope, but now, he realized something had happened. Demetri looked at Edward, and when he did, he felt some kind of regret pooling in his stomach. Demetri knew Edward knew something, but didn't realize it was much worse than the reality.

"Shouldn't you know? She is you're new thing. But it's a 'Guard' thing right, so I wouldn't get it."

"Edward about that, I was just—"

"Stealing the girl of my dreams from me?" Edward spat at him, his eyes burning into Demetri's. "Because yes, I noticed, and I'm going to kill you—" Edward lunged at Demetri before anything else could be discussed, tackling him to the ground. But Demetri was strong, and flipped over onto Edward and shoved himself away from him before it could get any worse.

"I don't understand this! What's going on!" Demetri yelled, but Edward lunged again, and shoved him up against a wall of rock, and held him by the shoulders, Demetri's feet not even touching the ground. It was déjà vu for Demetri, and he couldn't help but think how an hour ago he had been in this situation, but on the other side—

Edward dropped him when he saw what Demetri was thinking, letting him fall to his feet, but he quickly grabbed him by the throat and held his grip firmly. Demetri began to choke, but Edward had to know what the hell Demetri had just shown in him through his mind. "What the hell was that?" he growled, the confusion nearly blinding him.

"For a smart boy, Edward, you're pretty fucking stupid," Treena told him, rolling her eyes at the obscurity of the days events.

Edward stared in shock, too confused to do anything but to continue to choke Demetri. That's why Alice had to step through the spectators and put a stop to this. "Edward just listen!" she yelled, and when he finally let go of his grip on Demetri to turn and face her, she played the vision she had seen earlier.

Edward's eyes widened as he watched Bella try and stop a fight between Austin, whom he hadn't even thought about, and watched as Bella defended herself against Demetri, and even held up her own until he got the upper hand and laid her out flat against the rock…where he had walked in…

Edward's heart, which had been flattened over an hour ago, now felt like it was actually taking in oxygen. But instead of feeling happy for realizing his mistake, he was too consumed by guilt and regret for acting so foolish in the first place, and decided to vent it out. And then there was Demetri—Edward turned back towards him, noticing for the first time the fear in the vampire's eyes.

"I didn't hurt her. She's fine. I just—" he was cut off my Edward's hand grabbing his throat again, the choking game beginning again until Edward would build up enough anger to rip his head off.

Alice put a stop to it though. "Edward…Bella's gone. For real this time."

Edward stopped what he was doing and looked at her. "What?"

Alice hesitated. "She was…Bella couldn't believe you didn't trust her…I guess…well…she went off on her own."

Edward shook his head in disbelief, his hands shaking from all the emotions consuming him. It was all too much, and that's why he punched Demetri one last time and then looked to Alice for more answers. He watched the vision of Bella running through the dark desert, her legs pumping hard, but what killed him the most was the look on her face, mostly anger, but hiding the heartache that he had carried just a few moments ago.

Edward pulled his hands up to his hair, and growled as loudly as he could. "What is she thinking! She can't do this…why would she…it's a death trip…"

"Exactly," Carlisle said lowly. Edward looked up at him, the first time he had acknowledged him. "I don't think she cares about too much right now, to be honest."

"There's more Edward…" Alice whispered.

Edward snapped his head up, his eyes burning into her. "I don't think I can take much more Alice!'

"Justin's with her."

-x-

Bella looked over her shoulder at Justin, who was trailing behind her, oblivious to her staring.

"Justin why am I leading? You're the one who said you know where Jude is."

"I know. I just want to go at your pace. You're the leader here, the one in charge, not me," he said, even though it wasn't true. It was all apart of his plan. Make her think she was the one in charge. Make her think they were still on the same page. It was too perfect.

Bella groaned and looked ahead. "For such an amazing plan, why the hell do I feel so weird about this?"

Justin picked up his pace so that he was beside Bella, and tripped over some words to make sure she stayed on target. "Bella, of course you feel weird about all of this. You're used to taking the backseat. But this time, you're the one making the decisions, and your decisions are going to save Jude. Don't you want to give Austin the relationship with the girl of his dreams, something you couldn't have with Edward?" he knew that would be a rough spot with her, and it was.

Bella reacted just like he thought, her jaw tightening and her legs pumping harder.

"Exactly. Don't worry, I'll get us to Vegas quicker than you think possible."

"You better Justin. I don't want to regret letting you come along with me."

"Don't worry…you won't."

-x-

Back at the river, tension was still rising over the knowledge that Justin had deceived them all.

Edward looked at Alice weird. "What? Justin? What does he have to do with this?"

"He's still with The Guard…he's been working her this whole time…keeping tabs on her. I should have seen it before―"

"He's going to lead her right to them!" Edward covered his face in defeat, but told himself the image of Bella's heartbreak would not be the last one he saw. He would be the one to get her back―there was no other option for him!

"She's going to Nevada, somewhere south…it's where the others are. We can possibly pick her up before Justin gets contact with his crew, if we go now," Alice said lowly. "It's just a matter of convincing her we're on her side, seeing how she probably doesn't want to see the lights of you anymore, Edward…"

Edward felt like he could crumble to the ground. Everything that could go wrong, had, and now, he was left to put it back together—and he would for Bella.

Edward looked up at the moon and saw that it had finally begun to shine through the darkness of the clouds, allowing enough light for a blind hybrid to find her way. He knew he was already behind, and that's why he shoved through the group and picked up speed towards the river, using Bella's scent as a guide towards where he needed to be.

But Edward didn't realize his efforts would be good for nothing. Justin was already working his magic on the hybrid, planting the seeds of doubt in The Resistance, and bringing her back to an organization that would destroy her.

It was all too perfect for Justin… and not even a group of resistance members being led by a lovesick vampire could save Bella now.

**-x-**

**Recap: **Edward thinks Bella has had a thing for Demetri all along, and misinterprets a fight for something else. Bella chases after Edward, gets into a fight, and because neither want to admit they are both fools in love, they ditch each other…only Bella decides to ditch everyone else as well.

So Edward comes back to the camp, ignores everyone else, and fails to notice that Justin has snuck off to find Bella to plant the seed of doubt in her head, which he does do when he finds her and joins her on her trip to Las Vegas.

Bella doesn't realize Justin is not on her side. He continues to tell her she is doing the right thing leaving The Resistance, and that finding Jude will make everything OK.

Back at camp, Alice sees the visions, finally makes Edward see the truth, and that Justin is going to take her back to The Guard and hand her over instead of helping her find Jude.

**A/N: **I hope people are not confused. If you have any questions, please let me know, and I will get back to you with answers. Please review. :)

**Song: Won't Get Fooled Again by The Who.**


	22. Doll Parts

**Disclaimer:** Twilight was written by Stephenie Meyer and I'm just borrowing her characters. Please don't sue me Stephenie…

**A/N: **Hi guys. Just to let you know, there was some issues with the previous chapters. For some reason section dividers were not showing up, and I had to go through each chapter to put the chapters to a place where it made sense again. Now instead of the double line, I'm using this to separate parts: **-x- **Anyway, it's not a big deal, it just took a while, and for new people who read my story, you might want to go back and reread certain area in case it seemed jumpy and clustered.

Also, I'll being going back and fixing the mistakes in this chapter later. I just wanted to post it because it's been a while.

**Chapter 22:** Doll Parts

"_Someday you will ache like I ache." –Hole_

-x-

After traveling through mountainsides and valleys, after wading through rivers too long to follow to the end, after climbing jagged hillsides with rock just as breakable as the human's that fell to it before, Bella got tired.

"Wait," Bella gasped before kneeling over to calm her breathing. But the air was thin on the high grounds they were traveling across, and that meant Bella grew five times more tired, not good news for someone who had a schedule to keep to.

"What do you mean wait? We can't wait. We have to push through this last part before morning. We're almost to the highway, and once we get there, it's going to lead us to what used to be the nearest civilization. That's when we can _wait_. Once we find cover."

She shook her head. "It's just for a few minutes. I'm dying here." Bella wiped her hand across her face, dark brown mud that used to be sand smearing onto it. Her eyes stung from the salt of the sweat dripping off of her skin, and her lips felt just as dry as her stomach.

"This is great. We have maybe two hours left before sunrise, and with the pace you're traveling at, we'll be walking for more than that."

"Oh my god, fine!" Bella straightened immediately and shoved through Justin, her temper fuelling her legs to push on for just a bit longer. She heard Justin's steps matching her own behind her, going the same slow pace. But he wasn't giving her room to get her mind back in the game, and if that wasn't killing her mood already, he had to go and sigh…

She gave up. She cursed out loud and fell to her knees. The relief of stopping washed over her, and that only made her collapse further into the ground, her body lying lopsided. She couldn't take Justin's voice and presence any longer. "I'm done. Get over yourself Justin. You know I can't keep up with you," she told him, her eyes closed from exhaustion.

Justin wasn't shocked. If Bella was anything like the hybrid she was in The Guard, then he knew she would do what she wanted. And at the moment, she wanted to rest—regardless of the consequence in doing that. Bella just didn't care, and that ticked Justin off.

"Just give me ten minutes or so…It's nothing. We've been moving for hours."

Justin laughed in spite. "Moving? Is that what you call what you've been doing?"

Bella rolled over onto her stomach and pulled over her hood to block him out.

He continued, "I've been on your heels all night, and it's been painful for me to slow down to your speed, when I know we could be much more ahead of the game—"

"Then leave!" Bella quickly sat up onto her knees, her hand flying up to point out where his options to flee were. "Go! I don't care—why the fuck do you think I need _you_? I'm a loner by nature, and even if I wasn't—to tell you the truth—you're a fucking prick to be around and I couldn't go anywhere with you. Maybe that's why you're a loner too!" She fell back until her shoulders were placed on the ground again, her head off to the side, facing away from Justin. She closed her eyes, exhaustion allowing her to remove her mind from the situation immediately.

Justin bit his lip, a nervous reaction to the scene playing in front of him. It wasn't The Guard he was trying to get cover from—obviously—but instead, her stupid Cullen boyfriend, who Justin knew would be following her like the sun follows the moon from day into night. Already, his plan for letting Bella think she was the lead was unravelling. She ran off emotions and feelings, and at the moment, they were both negative towards him.

He needed to get this hybrid to The Guard. It was their mistake in the first place to have dismissed her as nothing, and it would make him look worthy when he returned her, as if he barely lifted a finger in doing so.

But Justin would need to lift more than a finger to get Bella anywhere at the moment. They were just on the border of Arizona, and Justin had plains to cross into it before first light, with the next night to work on getting into Las Vegas, Nevada.

Lying lifeless on the ground, Bella looked quite content. Justin recognized the rhythm of her breathing. It was slow and had the pattern of someone in a deep sleep. An idea struck him. If he was careful, he could slip his hands under her body, and run with her in his arms. It was worth a try…

He hesitated for only a second, but when the night wind died down for a moment, he took the chance to move in on her.

But Bella wasn't as asleep as he had thought. The moment his fingers brushed over the rough material of her worn out hoodie, she flinched away from him.

Bella turned onto her stomach and quickly propped her body into a crouch. It was the stance she was taught to be best prepared for anything. She looked alert. "What are you doing?" she breathed heavy, still tired, but her eyes were angrily set on Justin, not a sign of sleep in them.

"Sorry Bella, but we have a schedule to keep to."

Bella chuckled, but her face didn't get any less hard. "You're crazy if you try to touch me one more time."

Justin looked to the ground, weighing his options. But he already knew where he stood, and the fact that it was easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. "Call me crazy," he said, lunging for her. And in one swift moment, he tackled the pissed off hybrid, wrestled her into his arms, and started running with her towards the next destination.

-x-

Jude had never liked crowds. She only liked open spaces where you were guaranteed said amount of space, and it never being taken away. It probably was from being raised as an only child, and living on a farm where even cows had distance between themselves and their neighbours.

Because of Jude's claustrophobic tendencies, she was nervous around the group of hybrids surrounding her. It had nothing to do with the fact that they were stronger than her either, because she was used to being the weak one of the group, and that taught her to use her brains instead of her muscle. Instead, it had to do with that fact that they might all know now that she was the odd one out—the human—and if they wanted points with The Guard, they could call her out just to save their own necks.

But there was one person that Jude wasn't so weary of. It was the girl she had talked to when she first arrived a few hours ago, the one who called her out on her secret even before Jude could worry anyone would notice. She was friendly, which was strange in a place so dark, yet Jude didn't question it. Instead of ignoring the girl, she became friends with her quickly in the short hours they waited for something to happen, learning as much about each other before they would be separated.

Jude learned a lot about her new friend. First off, that her name was Whitney, and she wasn't as young as Jude had thought. In fact, the girl had been a hybrid for over fifty years, yet she didn't look a day over seventeen years old. Her blonde hair that was cut off at the chin, huge bright eyes, and light freckles playing across her face gave her a child's spirit, and tricked the eye into thinking she was nothing but a useless kid. But from what Whitney told Jude, she was far from it. Jude couldn't believe the adventures the girl had been on, and even was astonished to find out she had been living with another resistance group before she was plucked from it just a few days ago, much like Jude had been.

The two had a lot in common. Jude told her all about her family she used to have, the lifestyle she used to live, and the group she had been traveling with before she was taken. Like Jude, Whitney also had a sad story about her family being killed, except it was The Guard who had killed them, trying to snatch Whitney up when she was just a kid hybrid. Luckily, Whitney was on a fishing trip with a human friend, and missed them at the time. She's been on the run ever since.

That is until two days ago, of course.

"How much longer until they get on with it?" Jude whispered, tapping Whitney on the shoulder to keep her from dozing off again. It was funny to Jude how the hybrid could even sleep in such a situation, but Whitey had fallen asleep several times within the last few hours, not letting the tense atmosphere get to her body that was telling her she needed to rest.

"Get on with what?" Whitney asked, her eyes lazily opening up a crack, her neck straining to look up at Jude, who was sitting up, her back on the cement wall.

"Coming to get me. They think I'm Bella. Why haven't they done something with me?"

Whitney shrugged, a yawn escaping her mouth. "I have no idea. Maybe they realized it by now. It's really not that hard to tell."

"Yeah because I told you, that's why." Jude scanned the area, her eyes finding several other hybrids splitting into new friendships, or what Jude thought, new allies. It was all the hybrids could do while they waited. Planning was their only hope for getting out of the prison.

"They must already know then," Whitney said nonchalantly.

Jude's eyes rolled her eyes. "I doubt it."

"Well, I don't know what to tell you, but I'm sure the footsteps coming down the stairs just outside the door would love to answer you."

"What?" Jude's head snapped to the metal door in the far left corner, her heart rate picking up.

"Yep. Someone's coming…" Whitney moved so that she was leaning up on her elbows, looking somewhat alert, but still tired from the events of the days. Several other hybrids around her matched her relaxed, yet alert body position.

On the other side of the door, metal sliding and several clicking noises were heard before the door quickly flew open and four vampires fled into the room, their postures tense and meaning business. In between the vampires, one woman, slightly less intimidating looking, walked into the room. Her blonde hair was the same color as Whitney's, but it was longer and pulled into a tight bun. And now that Whitney and Jude had a closer look, she didn't look very nice.

Jude swallowed hard, her blood pressure rising, where Whitney watched the woman intently, actually nervous for once in her life, but only for her new friend.

"Bella Swan?" the woman asked the hybrids in the holding room, her red eyes glowing in the dark as she scanned the room.

Jude's heart rate spiked the moment the name left the woman's lips. She knew she should rise, keep up the façade, because it would be the only thing that could save her. But Jude was scared and she didn't want to leave just—

"Bella Swan!" the woman growled, taking a step into the room.

Jude exhaled, and after taking a quick nod at Whitney, she rose to her feet.

The woman's red eyes were on her own blue ones immediately, glaring into her features like she was studying them for a test. Jude, who was normally quite composed, didn't know if she was going to faint or throw up.

The woman laughed, taking a step towards Jude.

Jude's knees felt weak.

The woman stopped right in front of Jude, leaving only a foot in between herself and Jude.

Jude kept her eyes on the red ones in front of her for as long as she could, the ultimate staring contest. She didn't want the woman to know she was intimidated by her—a burning, scraping pain suddenly shot up Jude's spine, throwing her to the cement floor in one quick heap, paralyzing her with stinging pains all over her body.

"How stupid do you think I am?" the woman asked Jude.

Jude couldn't answer her. The pain was burning her insides, the blood vessels in her veins feeling like they were exploding over and over again.

The woman turned her back on Jude, ignoring the fact that she was still withering in pain, and glared at the four men still standing strong. "You idiots!" she growled. "You brought the _wrong hybrid_!" she said before storming out of the room, the vampires following her and slamming the door shut behind them.

When the woman was gone, the pain suddenly released from Jude, her body going back to normal like nothing had happened. Jude quickly crawled over towards Whitney, her eyes frantic, having no clue what just occurred. "What the fuck was that!" Jude panicked, tangling her hands through her dark, crazy hair.

Whitney chuckled. "That was you're ass being saved by Bella Swan."

Jude paused, realizing it then. They didn't even give a shit about her now. It was all Bella they wanted. She didn't know why. What was so special about Bella?

"Welcome to the hybrid club, you lucky little bitch." Whitney laughed. "God that woman really is stupid."

Jude blinked, shocked by her shear luck.

-x-

Bella growled at Justin, her nails pointlessly digging into the flesh of his back, leaving zero marks. Then she tried kneeing him in the chest again, but that did next to nothing. His arm held her tightly over his shoulder, a tricky hold to get out of.

"You've really done it now Justin," Bella told him after forty minutes of enduring his clutch on her body. "If I were you, I wouldn't let me down, because you're dead when you do."

"I wish you would see where I'm coming from. I'm helping you. We need to get to the nearest town before light."

"Yeah, and then we can separate there."

Justin was worried by this. "I don't think that should happen."

"Oh but it's going to."

He shook his head, and continued to run while Bella randomly kicked and pulled, not giving up to get out of his hold. She did this for ten minutes until he had had it, and finally dropped his hold on her, flipped her off of him, letting her body slam into the ground.

"Jesus fuck," Bella swore, her breath knocked out of her by the unexpected impact of the fall. But she didn't have time to prepare for the next blow, which was Justin's foot coming straight into contact with her temple, knocking her out cold.

Justin smiled. It would be a much easier trip now.

-x-

It had been five hours since Bella left the resistance group, and that meant Demetri and Edward had a lot of ground to cover. They had plans to follow Justin's trail, because wherever he went, she was sure likely to go with him. As for Austin, he was left behind by the two vampires, only because his hybrid legs couldn't keep pace with theirs.

Edward and Demetri headed out first, their paths taking them south towards the back road that would eventually lead to the nearest town. Alice had blurry visions of Bella walking through it, but she also had visions of Bella being kicked to shit by Justin, so no one was quite sure what to go off of. Everyone else would take similar routes to the town, and towns near it, spanning out to cover ground. Jasper and Alice would take one route, Rosalie and Emmett another, and so on and so on until every possible inch of the desert area could be covered. The goal was to find Bella, but if a fork in the road came up where a choice between Bella and Jude had to me made, everyone decided Jude would be the main priority. Bella was just a trip on the way to Las Vegas, and if they didn't come into contact with her, they'd have to move on.

Edward wouldn't though. He and Demetri, both still touchy over the past quarrel, were dead set on finding her before she did anything else with Justin. It was going to be quite the side trip.

Carlisle didn't have a good feeling about any of it. While he and Esme, joined with several other resistance crew members, traveled slowly through the desert grounds, he couldn't help but feel this was yet another one of Bella's attempts to get away from any ties to her family. If she wanted to be here, she would stop running and just be here. It didn't make sense to him, and that's why he wasn't so hell bent on chasing after a hybrid that didn't want to be chased. But it was Esme he did it for, and also, it was all the same direction towards Las Vegas anyway, where Jude hopefully was, safe and sound. Maybe the same would be for Bella, if they caught up with her in time.

But Alice had seen a vision while the crews were just heading out, Edward and Demetri just ten meters away, ready to leave. It was of Bella getting knocked out by Justin, and although Alice tried to hide it from Edward, he caught the vision just as it finished up.

That vision fuelled Edward. His legs pumped hard through the dirt, knowing that Bella was no longer on the same page as her so called ally. Demetri ran just as quickly beside him, guiding the pair towards the mind of Justin, knowing wherever he was, she was.

"She's _so_ stupid," Demetri said under his breath, his frustration for the hybrid past anything he had ever felt.

Edward agreed, but he didn't say anything.

"Do the others know about her?" Demetri asked Edward, realizing that maybe their façade of 'lost travelers' was over.

Edward knew what he meant, but he wasn't quite sure of an answer. "I have no idea. The resistance members probably haven't _really_ put it together yet. They think The Guard is after her because of what she is, not because of who she used to be."

Demetri laughed. "No one knows about us yet? They don't know she was a member of The Guard? That's hilarious." Demetri was shocked. If they found out now, they would have second ideas about helping out the hybrid that screwed the world over in the past. "You better hope we find Bella before the search party figures it all out."

"We will, and it doesn't matter right now. Just shut up and show me the way." Edward sped up his sprint, edging ahead of Demetri. But Demetri quickly came up beside him again, not letting the fast vampire out run him for even a second.

The sun was just coming up, and knowing that Bella and Justin wouldn't be stupid enough to travel during the day meant one thing…

They'd come across her sooner rather than later.

-x-

Bella opened her eyes to morning sunlight, and what felt like April showers were coming down on her. But the water pressure was entirely in her face, making her close her eyes immediately and choke.

She coughed up the water, turning onto her side to avoid the continued spray. She cursed. "What the—"

"Wake up, we're here," Justin said from above her. He dropped the hose he had been spraying her with to wake her from the black out and stepped over her.

Bella wiped the wet strands of hair out of her face, and looked around. She was lying next to a garbage can and a brick wall, the ground beneath her still the same sandy red color she was used to.

"Come on," Justin yelled to her, waving at her from the entrance of a rundown gas station. "We've arrived in Kingman, Arizona. We just need some directions for tomorrow nights trip."

Bella blinked. She didn't know what was going on. She remembered everything up until being knocked out—which she was livid about—but she was more concerned with where the hell she was, and what she was doing. She stood carefully, some loose dirt falling from her jeans. Her hoodie was drenched from Justin spraying her, which made her shiver as she walked towards him.

He turned around just as he opened the gas station door, and looked her up and down. "Sorry about that. You just weren't coming around—"

Bella didn't even register what she did next, but her body reacted the way she used to when someone crossed her that shouldn't. She was airborne, smashing into his chest, and pushing both of them into the entrance of the gas station. Their bodies collided with a force, breaking through stands and old aisles that used to be home to preservatives, bringing them to the ground in a heap.

Bella punched him, something that should have come around sooner, her hand connecting easily with his face, her ears rejoicing in the all too familiar sound of skin slapping skin.

Justin had seen this reaction coming from a mile away, but he knew if he didn't let it happen now, she'd definitely be more difficult than normal. So he let her kick and punch him, and he let her throw broken boards at him, all the while not noticing another presence in the gas station.

It happened in slow motion from there.

Bella stood up, her hands sore from pounding into Justin's face, and she was about to accuse him of being the piece of trash that he was until she heard three loud shots being fired. Her ears rang from the sound, but what brought her to her knees in one swift motion was the pain seeping through her back and shoulder.

Everything sped up.

"Bella—" Justin was on his feet in a second, but the damage was already done. He pried the gun from the male human's cold hands and shot him even before he could get an explanation in. Justin was irrational, reacting the way boyfriends reacted when their girlfriends got hurt. He couldn't stand to lose Bella now, only because he was so close to the end with getting her back to The Guard. Justin dropped the gun and was back at Bella's side in an instant, panic traveling through his body. He grabbed her hand, shocked at how she was still kneeling. Emotions were flying through him; guilt and fear for the young hybrid ate away at him, because he knew this was his fault. He should never have gotten her into this situation.

"Justin, he shot me," she said, just as shocked at he was. Her voice sounded like a mile away in her own head. She held onto his arm, the only balance that was keeping her from falling to the ground.

"Fuck Bella!" He grabbed her around the waist and easily picked her up into his arms, one arm under her knees and the other behind her back where the blood flowed. The blood didn't scare him, but the fact that she wasn't fighting to get him off of her did. It was a complete 180 from the day's events. "I'll help you Bella—"

"Justin, there's another one—" Bella didn't get it in quick enough. Just as she saw the barrel of another gun enter the door, another shot was fired, and like before, it got her again. The shot went straight though the sides of her ribs, jamming the bullet in the tough muscle around the bone. Bella gasped from the initial pain and impact, her back curling awkwardly away from where the shot had come from.

They were suddenly outside, several other shots being fired into the air, but Bella only concentrated on the grounds in front of her. "Find cover _fast_ Justin." Bella's teeth clenched when he jumped up onto a roof and back down onto the road, putting more distance in between the humans and them.

"Fuck I hate humans!" Justin growled, pumping his legs faster, determined to get Bella out of harms way.

She couldn't find the words, but she sure as hell agreed.

-x-

"Did you hear that?" Edward stopped running the moment he heard the shots coming from a few miles away. He recognized it as gun shots, but he hadn't realized humans were in the area anymore. Most of the towns here were cleared out.

Another shot fired, getting Demetri's attention. "There are people in the area. You think—"

"It's not a resistance group, if that's what you're wondering. We don't waste bullets like that—too many shots for it to be on an animal."

"Vampires?"

"With guns Demetri? Really?"

"Well do you want to check it out or not?" Edward was frustrating him. He regretted joining forces with him. He could have found Bella on his own.

"Is that where Bella is?" Edward asked smartly.

Demetri ignored his tone and thought quick and hard, listening for Justin's mind. He found it easily, just a short distance from the shots being fired. "Oh god—"

Edward groaned. "You have got to be kidding me." He turned and ran towards the fired shots after reading Demetri's mind, his head already thinking the worst.

-x-

Justin held his breath the entire time he ran, knowing the temptation in his arms would be too easy to fall to. He ran hard though, keeping his mind off of Bella and on the fact that there were bands of humans around causing havoc. He didn't know people like that still existed; usually if you were human, you were pro-resistance, but if they'd shoot someone like Bella who couldn't look anymore human, they were clearly not.

"There's a run down house up here Bella. It looks like it's on a farm. Should I risk it and take you there?"

Bella had her eyes shut and jaw tense, the only thing she knew how to do to keep the pain from overwhelming her. Her shoulder area where the majority of the shots had gone through was burning up, and her rib cage felt like it had splintered into a thousand pieces. She finally spoke. "I don't know! Just get us out of sight Justin!"

Justin decided to take a chance to run towards the farm. It was placed on a slow slope, where old dry trees still stood tall even though they had died from the heat. Grass sprouted out in random areas, turning to patches, no longer having a farmer to mow any of it. To the far left of the farmhouse, an equally rundown barn sat alone, its roof half caved in.

Bella opened her eyes to watch the approach on the old farmhouse, the only building on the lone street. Back in the day, it would have been the perfect location, a mile from town, away from any nosy neighbours. But now, it seemed out of place on the empty road, an eerie looking building that didn't look like it ever had a family that took care of it.

Justin jumped onto the veranda of the old farmhouse with Bella still in his arms, noticing her breathing turning panicked from the pain. His only option was the idea to kick in the old door, which looked easy enough judging by the old rusty hinges. Justin took a step forward, his intentions clear.

But like before, there was another presence…

The door flew open before he could kick it in, startling him and the hybrid in his arms. Bella would have screamed if it didn't hurt so much, and Justin would have strangled the human in front of him, if he wasn't holding Bella.

But their reactions were all for nothing, because it was just a human girl—a child for that matter—holding the door open, eyes wide from curiosity.

Bella, although in a lot of pain, was astounded by how much the little girl, probably nine-years-old, looked like her. She had dark hair and brown eyes, her arms and legs awkwardly skinny like Bella's were back in the day. Bella didn't want to scare her. "Ask her if we can come in," she said to Justin, clenching her jaw.

Justin hesitated. He hadn't spoken to a human child in years.

But he was cut off by the sound of another gun being cocked. They raised their eyes to peer inside, and sure enough, at the top of the stairs a woman held a hunting rifle pointed straight at them.

Bella groaned.

"Step away from our property and nobody will get hurt." The woman spoke clear and to the point, her hand never moving off the trigger.

The girl directly in front of them continued to stare at Bella, her eyes fixated on the blood dripping from her wounds and onto the strong boy holding her. She spoke softly. "Cecelia…" The girl pointed directly at Bella, her eyes turning wide. "She's wounded."

The woman at the top of the stares seemed to have a silent debate next. Her eyes darted in between the girl and them, until finally, she slowly took careful steps down the stares, never moving her gun off target. She came up beside the girl and finally moved the gun lower, getting a good look. "So you _are_ hurt." The woman looked behind Justin, surveying the area. "Those gun shots were for you I presume. The mob got you good?"

Justin didn't know what exactly a mob was, but he assumed it was the humans back at the place. He nodded anyway.

"Kill any of them?" she asked, leaning in to hear the answer.

Bella felt Justin's hesitation, who she just came out with it. "Who cares. Someone shot at us, so we shot at them. We just need a place to hide." Bella took in a jagged breath. The anger and pain traveling through her felt like a heart attack could come on.

The little girl turned to the woman. "See? They're on our side. Please let them in."

The woman lowered her gun until she held it loosely beside her body, her other arm wrapping around the little girl beside her. She sighed, but her eyes didn't move away from the door. "Fine. Only for a bit." She moved her and the girl out of the way, and allowed Justin to carry Bella in. She shut the door behind them, three locks clicking into place.

"You have a bathroom?" Bella managed to gasp. "I need to get these things out of me."

The woman stared at her, watching the blood bleed over the boy that carried her. "How can you stand it?"

"I'm a hybrid," Bella hissed.

"No. I'm talking to the vampire here." She nodded to Justin. "But if you're a hybrid, why are you panicking so much? You heal don't cha?"

Bella wanted to kill her. She was the typical twenty-something-year old, lost in her own box and ignorant of anything else. But Bella had to be nice to her or else she'd be kicked out on her ass. "Exactly—we heal quickly. If I don't get the bullets out before I stop bleeding, the skin will start healing over, and that will drive the bullets deeper. I'll have to dig everything up again to get them out."

"Oh sick," Justin said quickly, starting up the stairs without the woman's permission. He didn't care. He wanted all of Bella's wishes granted at the moment in order for her to stay on track. "Do I turn left or right up here?" he yelled down, but the woman was right behind him, the girl trailing just behind her as well.

"First door on the right," the woman said. She turned to look at the little girl. "Get out of here Blare."

"No, I want to help—"

"You want to help the hybrid and the vampire fish for bullets? Do you really?"

The girl hesitated.

"Go downstairs and bring us back a knife and a bowl."

The girl nodded and headed back down the stairs, happy to help in anyway. It had been awhile since they had talked to any outsiders, let alone a real hybrid—they were so rare.

In the bathroom, Bella was on her own feet, leaning over a sink, her eyes closed tight. The stinging was beginning to get worse, and the back of her shoulder felt like it had dislocated, but that was just from the three bullet wounds bleeding out.

"Oh my god…" Justin had finally taken a step back to look at her, the back of her hoodie completely red. He didn't know hybrids could bleed that much. But then again, sometimes they had more human than vampire in them, which was Bella's case.

"We have a generator going so you can turn on a light and fill up the tub a bit. I don't know what I can do to help—"

"It's good. This is fine. I can help myself." Bella had her arms on the sink, her head cradled in between them. She felt like punching in a wall, or punching Justin again. This was all his fault.

"Here." The girl was back, holding a bowl out to Justin. "Are you apart of the resistance?" The girl asked wearily, her eyes then turning to Bella. "We've only heard rumours of its existence."

Justin cleared his throat. "Of course we are. We're just looking for our friend and then came across some unfriendly humans—"

"The mob," the woman said. "They're what's left of the people that went nuts when all hell broke loose."

"Mob mentality without the mob?" Justin laughed. "Never heard of it."

The woman didn't laugh. Instead, she took the girls hand and began to walk away, but then stopped at the top of the stairs. "I'm Cecelia. This is my sister's kid, Blare." She looked at them, waiting.

Bella held up her hand. "Bella," she said, clenching her teeth after. "Nice to meet you." She dropped her hand. "That's Justin." She didn't look up to see if they caught that, but she presumed they did when she heard their footsteps descending the stairs slowly.

Justin turned to Bella when he heard their hushed whispers down below them in the kitchen. "Bella we need to hurry up and get out of here. This isn't smart."

Bella actually growled at him. She lifted her gaze to glare at him. "Do we really have a choice Justin? Because if we did, there wouldn't be a _we_ right now. I can't wait until this is all over, and I can get moving without you."

Justin rolled his eyes. "You're still not over that—"

"Can we not do this right now!" Bella pushed herself off the sink, and grabbed the bowl from Justin. Inside it, a jack knife rolled around. She pulled the knife out of the bowl and threw the bowl on the ground, not knowing what the hell it was for anyway, and started the water on the claw bathtub. Brown water flowed out first, but it quickly cleared to a beige color. Bella groaned, her eyes blurring momentarily.

"What can I do?" Justin asked behind her. He didn't want to get in the way, but he knew if he just butted out, that may seem standoffish. The last thing he needed then was Bella to think was that he didn't care. He _did_ care about her well being, but not for same reasons.

"You can let me have your bandanna," Bella said bluntly.

Justin touched the worn out red bandanna holding back his hair. He didn't like that idea. It was the only possession he ever liked. "Umm, there are towels right in front of you."

Bella didn't even want his damn bandanna. She was just seeing how willing he was. He failed of course. "You can stay out of this, that's what." Bella turned to face him. "Get out."

Justin held up his hands. "Okay, okay." He stepped out of the bathroom. "There."

Bella stepped away from the bathtub and took three agonizingly painful steps towards him, slamming the door in his face.

-x-

Edward's throat burned with thirst when he came across the one blood trail he would have killed not to come across. It was the sweet smell of the hybrid he was looking for, her blood covering the floor of the broken down gas station.

Demetri whistled lowly. "Sure looks like a scene here," he said, kicking some of the loose boards that Justin and Bella had broken not even twenty minutes ago.

"It's her blood. She's injured." Edward put his hands on his head, surveying the damage around him. He realized it then. "The gun shots…" he whispered.

"She's hybrid," Demetri said the obvious, making Edward relax a little. But then he remembered the other thing. "Oh wait. But getting shot is the worst for them."

Edward turned his dark eyes onto Demetri. He didn't know what that meant. He was going off of the fact that Bella could be safe by being what she was. What did bullets have to do with anything?

"If the wound seals, it's pretty painful stuff. You have to go fishing for the bullet. She's mostly human, so medically, it can't stay in there. It hurts, like a gnawing pain—" Edward cut him off.

"Watch it!" Edward shoved Demetri out of the way just as a bullet let the chamber of a sniper gun, just a hundred meters away. It missed both of them, ripping through a few boards beside them.

"Jesus Christ. It's a war zone out here. Who knew?" Demetri peered out the door where the shot came in, the human that had shot at them not in sight. "They must have something like deer posts around here, where they can get the best view of everything that comes in. Smart eh?"

"I don't care about them. Where's Bella?"

Demetri glared at him. "Relax, she can't die. Well, we don't know that she can't, but Jones sure tried everything in his books—"

"What?" Edward didn't actually want an answer. He wasn't paying attention. He turned his back and left out the door, not caring if he got shot. It wouldn't do anything to him. "Down the road right?" Edward asked Demetri, wondering if Bella's scent was the way he needed to go.

"Yup. She should be at the end of it."

That's all Edward needed to hear.

-x-

The only way Bella knew how to get the hoodie off of her was to cut through it. All it took was one small cut in the front and she was tearing off the one possession she was sad to see go. This hoodie had been through a lot with her, and now it was lying in pieces on the floor, a shirt joining it two seconds later, just as tattered.

Bella took in a deep breath, her appearance in the mirror frightening. Her face was matted with dried on mud, and around that, blood mixed with sand coated her neck and back.

"Okay…" she whispered, her hands shaking with the knife in her grasp. She kneeled onto the old tile of the bathroom, her head leaning into the bathtub, the brown water below her swirling. "Okay…" She was trying to motivate herself, but she didn't know how to do it. She had never been the one to fix herself up after encounters like this. Jones was always the guy for that.

Bella closed her eyes and exhaled. She needed to get the bullets out because the wounds were slowly but surely beginning to disappear. She had to act fast, so, with one hand, she used the strap on her bra as a guide down her back, finding the first bullet hole. Without thinking, she dug the steel into her flesh.

She cried out. It was instinct, and without realizing she had done anything, her hand chickened out and dropped the knife from her clutch. She swore violently after. "Fucking god! Fucking god! Oh my jesus!" she cursed, grabbing onto her shoulder where blood began to pool out from the wound again.

She didn't know how she was going to do this. She was afraid of the pain, and the longer she waited, the more the holes healed up, which meant more pain later when she had to re-open them.

Someone knocked on the door.

"No. Go away!" Bella yelled, her eyes glued on the lock she had remembered to put across the door to ensure her privacy.

"You sound like you're dying in there Bella…" Justin didn't know what else to say.

"Fuck off!"

"Okay." He backed away from the door and was about to go take a seat in the hall until he heard Blare telling Cecelia something that had caught her attention. He creaked down the hallway and stood at the top of the stairs, listening.

"I can see some people out there," Blare whispered nervously. "Their headed straight here—oh one of them just saw me!"

Justin flew down the stairs. "What's going on?" he asked, but Cecelia was already cocking the gun, preparing for an intrusion. Justin peered out the cracked window, finding a space the boards didn't cover. He saw the intruders.

He swallowed. He didn't know how to feel about what he saw.

-x-

Bella closed herself off to the world around her. It's what she needed in order to concentrate. She wouldn't let the amount of blood dripping over her skin and down her jeans scare her.

She had three more attempts at several of the holes, with only one successful removal of a small, iron bullet. It rolled onto the ground after, a trail of blood following it. Bella watched he bullet closely while her eyes burned with tears of anger.

She was upset. Upset with how bad of a surgeon she was. Upset over being ambushed by humans. Upset with being delayed again on finding Jude. Upset over Edward…

Her grip on the knife loosened, and it dropped to the floor, landing beside the bullet. The sound of the metal hitting the old wood floors made her flinch, but she didn't move from her spot on the floor where she leaned against the tub.

Her gaze went into space, her mind trying to escape from the numbing feel that her body was now feeling from trying to heal over wounds that shouldn't be healed. Every time she moved any muscle, her body ached. It felt like she had been in a car accident, when really, it was just the feeling of her body working overtime, trying to get rid of something that couldn't disappear.

_Just three more to go, _she told herself. _Three more holes to dig up, and you'll be well on your way._

But that wasn't going to be the case, because downstairs, Bella heard a ruckus.

She flashed her eyes to the door of the bathroom, remembering she had locked it.

"Where is she!" a loud voice yelled downstairs.

Bella's heart nearly stopped.

Downstairs, she heard Justin defending his actions. "It was just a misunderstanding—" a loud crash cut him off.

Bella stood slowly, careful not to move her shoulders or back. The wounds were now raw, brutal looking holes, blood no longer pouring out. She moved closer to the door, catching her reflection in the mirror when she stood there and listened to the fool that had found her. She stared at her face in the mirror, and then looked at her body.

She grinned. "He'll love this," she whispered to herself."

Bella heard only two footsteps on the stairs, and then suddenly, his voice was outside the door. "Bella?" Edward banged on the door. "Bella it's me."

She smiled to herself. "Oh Demetri. It's good to hear your voice again." She held in a laugh, which only dug the bullet against her rib. She gasped.

"We'll worry about that later! You're hurt—"

"It's only a few holes, Edward. Not like a broken heart or anything," she said, knowing that would be a hard hit. She waited for something, but only more footsteps were heard outside the door. She heard Demetri's voice for real this time, asking Justin what had happened, and then Justin filling him in.

Then a fist slammed into the door, cracking the wood. Bella knew who would have done it. Edward probably didn't like what he heard.

"Don't you dare come in here!" Bella was serious now. She didn't think he'd be this persistent.

But he didn't care to hear her. With two more hits to the door, it was off the hinges, and Edward was free to enter.

And he did.

-x-

**A/N:** I don't know what to say. It was an extremely late update. I realize that. It's just that I'm at the point where I ask myself "do I continue?". It has happened with every story I've written on here. It's major writers block, and it's very frustrating. If there is interest in the story, I continue, but if there isn't, it usually just sits, so that's what happened.

Anyway, it's good to be back. I don't know when I'll start writing the next chapter. I'll judge it on how well this one goes over. But I'm surprised on how long I wrote this chapter. I started it four days ago, and everyday I wrote a little and I didn't know where to end it. If you have questions, let me know, and also, when I have a chance **I will fix the spelling and weird sentence structure in this chapter later.**

**Song: Doll Parts by Hole**


	23. Nobody's Daughter

**Disclaimer:** I'm a writer- I write. Stephenie Meyer is an author- a writer who is lucky enough to get published. She wrote twilight. I didn't.

**Chapter 23:** Nobody's Daughter

"_You don't understand how damaged we really are! You don't understand how evil we really are!"- Hole_

-x-

Everyone has that nervous feeling before entering into the unknown. It's the one that paints a terrible image into your mind, one that could be exaggerated thanks to a wild imagination, or maybe dead on thanks to basic instinct.

Edward had this nervous feeling when he had started yelling at Bella through the bathroom door, urging her to come and open it. Her warnings to back off only made the situation more frightening, because if she was anything like him, he knew she was protecting him from sights that would make him cringe.

And he was right, but that didn't mean he would listen to her.

"Don't do it—" a voice behind him warned, but Edward had already begun pounding his fists through the door, knocking it to the ground in five seconds. He wasn't registering anyone's warnings to stay out of Bella's business. Edward hadn't seen her since their fight, and even though he knew they weren't in good terms anymore, he had to see her. So, after ripping the door to the ground, the gasps and arguing around him drowning out Bella's own cursing and swearing, he took a step into the bathroom, getting a first glimpse at the hybrid he had foolishly broken ties with.

"You're a fucking dick," Bella said, standing up and crossing her arms, even though it hurt a lot to do it.

All Edward did at first was stare in shock. The sight of her body made him worry ten times more. It was covered in blood, deep red patches all over her jeans, her bare stomach, and her neck. Her hands and face were speckled with dried on dirt, making the rest of her ghostly skin seem like it belonged to someone else. He couldn't tell her what he felt, or that everything he had done in the past day and a half was stupid, all because he was occupied with how awful she looked. He had been gone for a short amount of time, and already she was getting into more trouble than he thought possible. She was going to kill herself—he knew it. It was clear to him that she didn't care anymore because she was back to where nothing mattered. If someone you cared for had that kind of attitude, it wasn't worth your time getting into it with them.

"Get out Edward. I'm fine." Bella's voice snapped him out of his panicked state of mind. But he couldn't do what she asked. She may not want to be around him, but he sure wasn't going to let herself get killed. He made me mad at her, but not mad enough to lose her forever.

He chuckled humourlessly at her offer. It was laugh it off or punch a hole in the wall. "This is your version of fine? Because if so, it's pretty twisted, Bella." He took a step forward, reaching for her to turn her around to see the main wounds. But Bella immediately backed off until she was pressed against the tub, her hands in fists as what he only guessed was a pain reliever. "Bella don't be so dramatic. You know I messed up, so don't act like your only choice right now is to go it alone. I'm still here—"

"No of course I'm not alone because according to you, I'm all over Demetri."

Edward took a frustrated deep breath. _So that's how it's going to be_, he thought to himself. _Fine._ "Bella—"

"Careful Edward, Demetri's right behind you. He might jump in between us and finish off whatever you thought you saw that night."

Behind Edward, Demetri smiled. But it wiped off his face immediately when he got a clear look at her body for the first time. Sure he had seen her in several near death experiences, but this one was just plain gory. He gasped. "Jesus Bella, you're destroyed."

Bella didn't know how to respond to that. It pissed her off to have an audience staring at her like an animal behind a cage. She wasn't special. She was fine. She took a frustrated breath, but that was all she had time to do because Cecelia barged into the room, remembering to bring her gun.

"Who are these people Bella?" Cecelia yelled, aiming her gun right at Edward.

Bella ran her hands threw her tangled hair. This situation was getting out of hand. She sighed. "This is my unofficial ex-boyfriend," Bella said, nodding at Edward without actually looking at him. She liked how he flinched at her words. "And apparently the other vampire standing next to Justin is someone I'm dating."

Demetri widened his eyes at Bella. Apparently she didn't want anyone to forget the incident that had led her into being a lovesick, heartbroken hybrid—a much more vicious, and unforgiving version of herself. She was busy throwing daggers in every direction, all because one stupid vampire lost faith in her. Demetri didn't know a lot about Bella, but he did know one thing; she lived her life through faith. When faith was lost, everything was lost. Demetri felt bad for Edward because he had shot his chances with her to shit when he lost faith in Bella. That's why she couldn't see past his mistake.

Bella continued on. "But I didn't invite them, so feel free to shoot either one."

"I've already been shot today, I prefer if that wouldn't happen again," Edward cut in, holding up his hands to show he meant no harm.

Bella chuckled. "Did you get shot in the heart like I did?" she asked, referring again to Edward's wild accusations.

He ignored her this time and paid close attention to the gun pointed at him. He was grateful it wasn't pointed at Bella, although maybe another gun shot would keep her from throwing blame his way.

Cecelia kept her wild eyes on the vampires in front of her, feeling secure to have the metal gun between herself and them, even if it would do little to protect her. She had done a lot in the past months to keep her existence on the down low from The Guard, and she didn't like company ruining everything. If they found her…it was too dangerous now. She decided to tell them to leave—to let them get out on their own while they still had the chance. "You need to leave."

Edward nodded. "And we are," he said, reaching beside him to grab Bella's arm. But she didn't like that, and ripped her arm away from him.

Cecelia blinked when she saw a marking flash by on Bella's arm.

At first, she thought it was just dirt or blood, but when her eyes flashed over it a second time, the numbers blaring across the skin made everything quite clear. Cecelia moved her glare onto Bella instead, furious now for even trusting the hybrid.

Edward heard every thought traveling through the woman's mind, and that's why he moved in front of Bella just as the woman aimed her gun at her. He acted as a shield to the bullet coming from the gun, which hit him in the chest, right above his heart that didn't beat.

Bella didn't know what was going on. But she didn't have a second to ask. Her body was suddenly being thrown out of the way again, another shot smashing the tile behind the tub. She swore under her breath, and watched Justin shove Cecelia out of the way, allowing them space to flee. Bella didn't have time to grab her shit together because Edward was already pulling her out of the bathroom and throwing her up into his arms to carry out of the house. He cradled her into his chest in case another bullet flew their way, forgetting that maybe his tight hold on her body was maybe doing more bad than good.

Bella was only allowed a glimpse of the knife, her torn hoodie, and the lighter she needed to erase the scorned tattoo before she was taken from the house.

She cursed the world around her, knowing now she really did have nothing to live for.

-x-

Outside, the sun was in the middle of the sky, illuminating the vampires to show what they were. The hybrid carried amongst them of course did not shine as brightly, for even if she could, her skin was hidden beneath a blanket of filth and blood. Her mood matched her dark exterior as well; she didn't like being taken care of.

But she didn't have much say then, because the group was running down the road at full speed, the farmhouse already a mile away, and in front of them, miles of blank road spread out in front of them.

There weren't many options to run. They could run straight or through the small, dried up forest, leading them to more unknown. But their decision was made for them when the vampire with the sense for tracking got a trail.

"Humans are down that way," he yelled to the vampires beside him. "We should avoid them if we want to remain anonymous."

That's when the hybrid perked up. She didn't know a day in her life that she was anonymous. "Yeah, humans are pretty scary," she mumbled, sounding like a member of The Guard.

The vampire holding her heard her, but didn't say anything. He chose to take his chances with the forest and lead him and his crew into it, hoping that a plan would come about while they took cover in it.

That didn't exactly happen.

-x-

"What's the plan now?" Jude asked her new friend, Whitney, the small blonde hybrid, just as the door to their prison opened. It had been a few hours since their last encounter with outside influences, and this time was sure to be just as dramatic as the last.

Whitney quickly got to her feet, nudging Jude to do the same. "Look prepared for anything. It's what hybrids do when they know they're going to fail. If you stand tall, you might just feel tall." Whitney watched the other hybrids around the room do the same, getting into a position that would give them any advantage over a vampire. Sitting on the ground didn't work for anyone.

"You're not very tall though," Jude said lowly. Whitey didn't respond because the door creaked open, a line of light entering the dark, cement room.

It went silent.

"Any work horses in the group?" a low, male voice asked the group from behind the door.

Jude glanced at Whitney to see her take on that, but her face was plain and waiting for something. Jude turned her eyes back to the door, and just as she did, a figure took two steps into the room, stopping just in front of the entrance. She looked to the ground, nervous to draw attention to herself, but Whitney stared him down. He had a shaved head and a strong, straight edged face. He of course wasn't human.

"Do I need to repeat myself?" he asked, unmoving. "Who wants to get out of this room for a change of scenery? Or do you want to be doomed to a prison acting as our fridge?"

Jude swallowed, still holding her gaze with the ground. _No_, that didn't sound too exciting at all.

"I will."

Jude snapped her head up to where a male hybrid in the corner of the room had spoken, and watched him take a step forward. She noticed how muscularly lean this boy was, but she found it disturbing how he still cowered away, avoiding to look in the direction of the vampire. He stood with his head low, and his arms loose by his sides, his chest barely moving.

Then another one joined. A girl this time, probably the same age as Whitney. She didn't speak, but took a few steps towards the center of the room, just like the first boy had. Her freckles glowed in the dark in the light emitting from the doorway.

Jude couldn't believe how foolish the people were in front of her. She would never—

"I will as well," Whitney said, taking a quick step forward, her eyes straight on the figure. She held her chin up high, her mouth and eyes blank of any emotion.

Jude just about died of shock. There was no way—

"Any other takers?" the vampire asked, taking out a walkie from his cargo pants. Whitney stared at him while she waited for the coward behind her to step forward. She noticed he looked like an off duty soldier, not a Guard vampire.

Jude tried to find a random spot in the room to stare at while her heart pounded in her chest, but of course, Whitney turned around and glared at her.

"Alright then…no one else?" He took a step back. "Fine. Come with me you three." Without even hesitating, the boy and girl moved from their spots, leaving the room, where Whitney took one last pleading look at Jude, and then followed suit with the others.

Jude wanted to kill her. She didn't know what they were getting themselves into. Yes, _themselves_, because just as the vampire was about to talk into his walkie, Jude stepped forward and said, "I'll go."

The vampire finally gazed at her, getting a chance to size her up. Jude shook with nervousness, knowing that he could realize everything, and kill her in a second.

She finally looked up in his direction, getting a good look into his face, and that's when the situation she was in took a whole new route. She wasn't staring into the eyes of a stranger; she knew the figure in front of her. But she wasn't sure if she was mistaking him for someone of her past, or if the nerve-wracking moment was just showing someone she probably wanted deep down inside.

Jude stared at the vampire while he stared at her, tracing his facial features while he traced hers. She found familiarity in his looks and mannerisms; the way he held his shoulders, the way he leaned back in his military boots, and the way his knuckles curled by his sides, even though he was at ease. There was a deep memory coming back, one she hadn't dug up since its burial well before the apocalypse.

Then their eyes locked, her blue ones with his dark red ones, and Jude couldn't avoid the sick feeling that came over. She was staring at a ghost of her past—one that had left so abruptly that it didn't even have time to haunt her present memories.

She could tell by the fearful, shocked look forming on his face that he was finally putting two and two together, realizing she wasn't _just_ someone off the streets. His eyes raked over her rundown body, and then stared into her face angrily. He looked afraid for her, and that made her feel good for some reason. She wanted him to suffer as much as she and her parents did when he left their farm years and years ago. But instead of making any kind of scene in front of the person that had turned her into an only child, Jude stared blankly into his face, knowing he would see her look as one of defeat, where he wasn't there to protect her.

He was slowing losing it too. His chest was beginning to rise and fall quickly, and his hands were now in fists. He looked like he wanted to grab her and run, or yell at her for getting herself into this—the older brother qualities hadn't disappeared from him, even though _he had_ all those years ago.

But her brother had failed at protecting her from the world, leaving at the wrong time when change was in order. That's why she was here, and he was there—although, she didn't even want to know how he had gotten himself in those military shoes with red eyes peering back at her.

She was scared for him then, and he was obviously worried for her, because without warning, he had sprung forward and grabbed her around her upper arm to yank her out of the prison room, slamming the door when both were on the other side of it.

Jude cursed out loud and then lost it on him, no longer able to keep quiet. She shoved him in the chest and glared at him. "Where the fuck have you—" she was cut off by his hand covering her mouth and him slamming her back into the cement wall behind her. She waited then for him to speak, the buzzing of one lightbulb down the hallway the only sound between them.

He moved his face closer to hers, and talked in a hushed, angry tone. "_Shut your mouth and keep moving._"

Jude's jaw would have dropped if he wasn't holding her mouth closed. She couldn't believe he was playing _that_ game, the game of "oh I've never seen you a day in my life". But instead of getting pissed off and emotional with him, she nodded under his hand, glaring at him the entire time. She could play his game as well—probably better. He released her and motioned for her to walk ahead of him, and like a good little sister, she followed his orders. Her stomach turned on that word. _Sister_. She took quick small steps down the dark hall, her hands quivering by the shear coincidence of it all, stopping next to Whitney, who was giving her a questioning look.

Jude just shook her head at the hybrid, not knowing what else she could do. There was nothing. It was the family reunion of a lifetime, only difference was she was being held captive by The Guard members, and her brother just happened to be one.

Yup. Mum and Dad would be proud.

Not.

-x-

"Put me down. _Now_."

Edward obliged, and carefully released his arms from under Bella, helping her to the forest floor. He kept the palm of his hand just on the outside of her back when she swore fiercely, nervous she was going to collapse. To him, she didn't look like a hybrid anymore. Bella was completely human in his eyes, only because she had never looked so frail. She stood there in front of him looking like she had just walked away from a car wreck. He had flashbacks then, to that night he had picked her up…

"Are you alright?" Edward stepped in front of her, carefully touching her wrist with his hand to get her attention. But he couldn't get her to look into his eyes. She was off gazing into space, her face blank of anything. "Bella, are you alright? Answer me." He touched the side of her neck where dirt and everything else was stuck, impatient with her lack of responses. He touched her shoulder, trying to get her to look at him. "Tell me what to do."

Bella was looking into the sunlight coming through the trees. It left random patterns playing across the ground and on other trees, making the murky forest seem kind of pretty. It was distracting her from Edward, keeping her temper from finding the vampire in front of her that had irritated the pulse out of her. But then, just as she had drifted off further into her thoughts, he had to go and touch her, whispering things that wouldn't make anything right.

"Bella…?" His hand had trailed down her elbow, leaving electrical shots shooting through both their bodies. Edward couldn't deny himself these feelings, but Bella chose to pretend they didn't happen.

She snapped her gaze away from the trees and finally acknowledged him by pulling her arm away from him. She stared right into his face, seeing his eyes dark from thirst and perhaps from the day's events. He looked angry, worried, exhausted—everything she felt.

Edward trailed his eyes down the length of her body, seeing now that she was shivering from wearing just jeans, a bra, and damp hair hanging over her shoulders. He cursed himself for not thinking of her needs before he made everything worse.

Bella was livid. Her hands shook from both the anger and the pain, her eyes blinking a hundred times a minute from the burning tears that threatened her. She spoke low, too angry to raise her voice then. "You forgot the knife. I need that knife if I want to feel better…You forgot my hoodie—" Bella was cut off by Demetri.

"We can get you a new one. Get over it—"

"You get over it!" Bella yelled. She tangled her fingers through her hair in order not to do anything stupid with her fists. "There was something in that hoodie that I needed! This lighter that…" She became more frustrated. "You don't get it!" Bella took a step around Edward, but stopped to hiss at him when she felt his hand on her skin. "Don't touch me, and don't even look at me." She crossed her arms and moved towards a tree, her moment of calm depression already behind her. "The wounds in my back have covered. It's too fucking late."

Demetri traced the pink circular scars on her back with his eyes, noticing for the first time that they had indeed covered over. He cringed, thinking of the pain she must be going through.

She continued on her rant. "You didn't need to do that back there! Everything was fine! She trusted me. She thought we were good people. But then you had to barge in and expose me!"

Edward turned his back to her, knowing the frustration she was feeling. He felt it too, and like her, it was all directed at himself. He had ruined it for her. He over reacted. He always did. "I know!" he actually admitted to her. "I know that! I ruin everything, and you're right."

Bella saw red. "No! You do! You _always_ do!" Bella argued back, punching the tree behind her.

Edward turned around, and tried not to rip out his hair. "You're not listening. I said _I know_. I ruin everything. I get it."

Bella shook her head, not understanding. She was too frustrated to try and understand.

Edward rubbed his hand through his hair, and looked over at Demetri. That's when he noticed they were missing a person. He looked over his shoulder and then back to the situation in front of him. "Where the hell is Justin?" he asked, actually shocked he hadn't noticed the snake slither away.

Bella didn't even care to look around. Justin was all over the place when it came to planning and he was obviously not on the same page as her. She knew from the beginning he was a random guy, and it didn't surprise her that he a little bit more tied to The Guard than she had thought.

Demetri was already searching for Justin's mind in the air, picking up the particles that re-laid his trail back to his own mind. He grinned. "You won't believe where our guy is headed."

Bella chuckled. "Try me."

"Vegas. Actually, directly where Jude is. He knows the exact spot."

"He's with them. He's always been with them…" Edward looked over at Bella. "Alice saw it. She saw him…well…"he hesitated. "He knocked you out, and then carried you away—"

"Oh please, give me some credit. I went willingly to begin with, and I probably still would be with him now. I don't have anyone else anymore."

Edward didn't believe that, but he wasn't arguing about it either. "Maybe so, but I just want to know that you're alright," he said lowly, his eyes never moving off hers.

Bella played with her fingers while she observed the scorned look in his eyes. It was clear to her that he obviously still cared enough for her. _Good,_ she thought to herself, _I'll make him wish he could rip out his heart._ She looked out of his dark eyes, moving her own to the ground. She lifted her hands like she was presenting herself to a crowd while moving her eyes up her own body, gazing over every piece of skin, until she pulled her eyes away and back onto Edward's lazily. She cocked an eyebrow at him. "I think you can come up with an answer to that one."

Demetri stepped in. "What is it then? Do we continue on or regroup?"

Edward was watching Bella's reaction. He didn't like how she nearly snarled at the idea of regrouping. He wished she would just back off and let the others get Jude back. But of course, he knew that wasn't an option for her. Bella was Bella.

"I guess regrouping is out of the question…" Demetri sighed.

"What's the point of it?" Bella laughed, mocking his suggestion. "Go back and find our group, where we can count heads and make sure everyone is present, and then when we finish that, we look to the leader of the group—who I assume is of course Carlisle—and then we stare at him with wide, hopeful eyes, waiting for him to give the orders. Does that sound good to you?"

"You know what, screw you Bella—"

"Hey! Back off!" Edward hissed.

"Screw me? Screw you Demetri!" Bella pushed herself off the tree and did a beeline for him, but Edward jumped in front of her, his hands on her shoulders.

"Bella, relax—" Edward didn't see what she did, but his back was on the dirt floor of the forest, with Bella stepping over him.

"Oh nice hit Bella. Where'd you learn that?" Demetri shoved her with his hand lightly on the shoulder, just to taught her and get her temper much higher.

Edward got to his feet just in time to catch Bella's arm, preventing her from throwing it towards Demetri. Edward let her go though when she turned and snarled at him, looking like she would turn it on him.

Bella turned her venomous look at Demetri. "What I used to call a good friend showed me that trick," Bella spat back, looking Demetri up and down. "And I got to use it a lot because he was never around to cover my back." Bella took a step back, a gleam in her eye because she knew her jab at him was more than that.

But as she turned her back, she wasn't prepared for the jab she'd get back—or more so, a stab.

Demetri chuckled lowly, and delivered his hit when took a step away. "You're the one to talk about absences. If I'm not mistaken, Victoria would be alive right now if you'd had _her_ back that night."

Bella stopped in place, her eyes zeroing in on the space in front of her, but the gaze never catching any detail in front of her. She looked blindly into the forest, her head and heart in the past.

Demetri watched her reaction, noticing the way her shoulders squared out, and her hands un-balled out of fists—he felt it then, the regret stinging up his throat. He had gone too far.

Bella stared there for a few seconds until the tears she had been holding back since the day she had her friend taken from her began to show. Her ears got loud when her heart began to pound, and her back teeth were clenched so hard that it actually hurt to try an unclench them.

Edward didn't move an inch towards Bella, and instead turned his head to glare at Demetri. He accused him with his eyes, and he could tell from the look of Demetri's face that he knew he made a mistake.

Bella didn't say anything after Demetri's last blow. Instead, she left the clearing, knowing that the silence she left would be louder than any argument she could bring about.

And it was.

-x-

"Earth to Jude…" Whitney said, nudging her friend in the ribs. "Something's up with you…"

Jude swore under her breath, wiping her jagged bangs out of her face. "Something's more than up," she said back, careful to keep her voice low.

Whitney didn't get it. "Their just moving us, relax—"

"No, you're not getting it," she whispered back. "Everything's changed—"

"Say one more word. I dare you," Jude's brother said, turning around to glare at the whispering couple.

Jude stared forward, annoyed he was still playing the façade. It had been just over an hour since their little reunion, and having him walk ahead of her, leading her along crumbled, abandoned Law Vegas streets, was getting to her. But Jude didn't acknowledge him. If he wasn't going to acknowledge her, she wouldn't bother with him. She just walked with the rest of them, just as out of the loop. None of the four had really gotten a look around since their arrival in Vegas, if that's what you could even call the broken city. It didn't look a single thing like its famous party portrayal; no lights, no tall buildings, no human existence. In what used to be a city full of life was now an eyrie, rundown, metal junkyard. Everything was dark. Everything was unfamiliar. Everything was wrong.

Silence seemed to make everything ten times worse. That's because it allowed room for thoughts to roam, which was dangerous for hybrids that were already expecting the worse. But it was especially worse for the one lone vampire that led them, all because just over an hour ago his whole existence in The Guard was shot to shit at one arrival of the little sister he had left once upon a time, in a little province called Alberta.

That life seemed like a century ago, a memory that didn't have a place in his dark present. But it was only five lonely years ago that he had found rock bottom, the day still etched in his mind, although he did have to dig for it. The night was dark and humid, and he was doing his typical rounds with his street kids like him—twenty-something-year-olds just living the dream that was to live without one at all. Life was dull, but in the dullness, there was the yearning to find that corner that would lead to something more than another homeless nut. But when he rounded that corner, he found something that was looking for something in return. A new life was offered to him, and he knew he'd be a fool to pass it up. He didn't know then what he was getting in to, but even if he did, he probably wouldn't have backed out. A life already mapped out for him, a body that wouldn't fade away, and a job that kept his mind off everything was more than he could ask for.

But time had changed him. Eventually rumours and his own wild personality led him to get tired of the way things were…and let's just say he had intentions to force change…

But then his sister had come out of nowhere, blinding him. She was suddenly an obstacle—an extremely dangerous and lethal one that could get him in a lot of trouble. He didn't know what to do. It was his sister, and he couldn't let her get killed off—but if he helped her out, unwanted attention would come his way, ruining everything for his plans. It was sheer luck that he had happened to come across her, and he was thankful she was in his sight rather than back in the holding room.

Jude on the other hand, had no idea what his intentions were, and that's why she was pretty angry with him for joining The Guard. She couldn't believe they were on opposite sides, but then again, it was kind of their relationship. She watched him walk tall in front of her, hating the fact that her brother was apart of something so wrong. She wanted to kill him, she wanted to run up and strangle him, she wanted to—he looked over his shoulder at her and glared at her.

Whitney cocked an eyebrow at him, not understanding why he paid so much attention to the Jude. But then it hit her. He probably knew what she was. He had to.

"Where are you taking us?" Jude asked him, crossing her arms. It helped relieve the pain in her lower back as she walked.

Her brother turned back around and ignored her question. Jude shook her head, not knowing why she bothered with him.

But her question was answered ten minutes later when they rounded the corner of a huge housing facility, where a truck with two vampires sitting in the bed was waiting for them.

Jude swallowed hard. Whitney clenched her fists. The other two just stared forward.

"This it? Really?" one of the vampires from the cab asked, jumping to the ground and moving towards the group. He stared over the group while Jude's brother led them closer, noticing the nervous looks on their faces.

"For now, yes. They looked the strongest, and most useful, so I chose them," Jude's brother said.

Something about what he said had Jude perplexed again. He had blatantly lied just then—he hadn't chosen them, they chose him! She didn't say anything though, but she was frustrated with how her little group around her seemed so oblivious to his slip ups.

"Well," the vampire said, looking over his shoulder at the other vampire sitting in the bed of the truck. "Let's get these guys in the truck."

Even before Jude could take a step to move towards the truck in obedience, she was suddenly herded towards it, her body smacking into Whitney's and the other two hybrid's. They weren't moving fast enough, and before Jude could move her feet a bit quicker, she was grabbed by the arm and literally thrown into the air, her body slamming into the bed of the truck. A second later, three other bodies landed near, or if not on her, their curses matching hers.

"What a bunch of wimps you got there," the vampire said, shaking his head at him. "I thought your gift gave you the ability to pick out the best. It's like we're working with a bunch of humans here." He chuckled after with his other vampire friend, both sliding into the cab to start the old engine.

Jude felt her brother's eyes on her face next, and just to torment him, she turned her pure blue ones on him, cocking an eyebrow. Not only was he in The Guard, but he was a valuable member of it. This situation was just getting worse and worse.

He looked away, the only thing he could do. It was true he had the ability to pick out a hybrid from a human, but with that, he could also pick out which vampires, humans, or hybrids had the best potential and intentions. But he didn't use it for bad anymore…or at least, not to The Guard's knowledge.

"Let's go dude!"

Jude's heart sank into her chest. She still couldn't believe the brother she hadn't seen in maybe nine or ten years was apart of something so terrible.

She didn't look at him when he jumped into the bed of the truck, and instead, looked into the distance where her surroundings started to move with the rumble of the truck beneath her legs. And even though she had several people around her, and a brother that had come back into her life, she felt extremely alone.

She was just Jude. The hard edged, fearless, blue eyed human, who was nobody's daughter. And because of these facts, she smiled to herself, knowing she had never needed anyone in her life.

On the other side of the truck, her brother noticed her devious smile, and because it came from Jude, he was fearful for her conniving ways. He glared at her, a warning for her to stop thinking whatever she was thinking.

Jude had balls though. She kept the smirk on her face and leaned forward. "Good to see you Derek," she whispered to her brother.

Whitney's eyes widened, but she didn't do anything else to draw attention. The other two in the bed of the truck were just as shocked, but followed her lead in keeping quiet.

Derek closed his eyes and sighed to himself. Everything was downhill from now, all because of one stupid, naïve, little sister.

Jude kept grinning.

-x-

Bella didn't even know Jude all that well.

She didn't know where she grew up, if she had a loving family, or if she was ever actually happy now that the world was half gone.

But Bella didn't have to know Jude to know that she wouldn't be happy. Jude was at The Guard, and it wasn't a place for double rainbows and sparkles. Bella knew The Guard better than anything. She had walked the walk, and talked the talked under The Guard's power, and because of that she feared for Jude; the Guard could find something they liked in Jude. It happened with Bella, it happened with Demetri, and it happened with a ton more humans and hybrids…The Guard sees potential, and then they make you into something more. Then they get to your head, tricking you into thinking they're everything you need and more, preventing you from changing your mind. Years go by, the depression sets in, and finally, you're too far in to turn around.

Bella sighed.

It was her story she was reliving. And what made her kind of mad was that deep down inside she knew Jude wouldn't make the same choices she had when she was younger. Bella was naïve. Jude wasn't.

It was 4pm in the afternoon, and Bella didn't know what the plans were anymore. She was still upset over…she didn't want to think about…Edward was being insensitive, and Demetri was— she stopped herself before she could think about what it was that he had said that pissed her off, or more exactly, who he spoke of. Instead of dwelling, she circled back around to the clearing in the forest, only to find Edward sitting on a log with Austin, both in conversation. Their heads looked up in her direction when she stumbled in.

"Hey Bella, we've got a plan," Austin said, his face actually smiling for a change. He had optimism in his spirit. _Must be nice_. Edward stared at her from his spot, making her feel uncomfortable. But he didn't move from his spot, _thank god_.

"A plan." She moved to sit down on the ground, her back against the tree. She crossed her arms. She noticed Demetri was no where in sight. She questioned it, but didn't look too closely into it. They needed distance. "And where did you come in from? Traveling alone?"

He shook his head. "We're just headed for the meet up area, and came across you guys. My group headed on, but I stayed here."

Bella nodded, not sure what she was exactly agreeing with.

"Demetri went to find supplies," Edward added in.

Bella rolled her eyes. "I don't care what he's doing."

Edward didn't understand the sudden animosity, but he knew whatever Demetri had said to her really hit home.

Austin was clueless though, and continued on his rant. "But anyway, you need to know what's going on."

Bella nodded again, but this time, she was in agreement with that. It would be nice to know what was going on for a change.

"Jude might be fine after all."

Bella waited for his reasons while Edward's eyes burned into her skin.

"Bella…what exactly went on when you were in The Guard?"

Bella's eyes shot to his, her attention fully on Austin now. "Excuse me?"

Austin hesitated. "I know you were…popular…for lack of a better word…well, popular in certain areas—"

"Get to it Austin. What are you talking about?"

He sighed, looked at Edward, and then gave in. Austin turned back to her. "You started it all. You started the resistance. Just because you gave up on it doesn't mean it doesn't still exist there."

Bella's heart sank. He had nerve saying that to her. But if it was true, then it was true. She _had_ given up on it. She wimped out, let it go, and hadn't looked back since.

Edward stood from the log. "What he's trying to say is that there might be hope that Jude has help on the inside."

Bella chuckled. "That's unlikely. The Guard is as cold and strong as the day I started."

Austin mocked her humourless chuckle. "The day you started was the day The Guard lost its respected name."

Bella didn't know what to say to that. It wasn't true. "Well what's your plan then? This so call revelation still leaves Jude in The Guard."

Edward spoke then. "Demetri told me something…something that could probably save her life if it's true." He stopped, noticing the way Bella fidgeted. Maybe she already knew. "He told me about a vampire that's actually a member of the resistance…a friend of yours."

Bella stared at Edward, her heart skipping. She already knew where he was going—

"Does the name Derek ring any bells?"

Bella's ear grew loud with white noise, her eyes finding the ground for bearings. She hesitated, her head at a loss for words. The name Derek didn't just ring bells. It rang alarms.

_Why didn't I think of that?_ She asked herself. _Because you were a cop out, remember _But now, she had her chance to redeem herself.

Bella looked up at Edward, a smirk on her face. All the days events seemed far off then with the feeling of hope in her gut. She looked at Austin. "Of course I know that bugger. And if he's still at The Guard, we might have a chance at finding Jude."

Austin grinned.

**-x-**

A/N: Thank you for being patient. The reviews for the last chapter were great. Thank you fans.

**Song: Nobody's Daughter by Hole**


	24. The Only Exception

**Disclaimer: **I don't own these characters. SM does.

**Chapter 24:** The Only Exception

"_We've got to find other ways to make it alone or keep a straight face. And I've always lived like this, keeping a comfortable distance. And up until now I had sworn to myself that I'm content with loneliness." -Paramore_

-x-

_**Year 2007**_

_**Galway, Ireland.**_

It had just been another night in The Guard for Bella. She had just been signed on to the highest group_, 12-21-12_, and she was to transfer to Galway, Ireland in the morning. But what wasn't ordinary was that she'd have to do this trip solo, all because her best friend wasn't permitted to go.

Bella was pissed, and when that happens, anything is possible.

That's why two days later, as Bella laid her head down in the hills of Ireland, miles and miles away from her old location in Italy, rumours were spreading of an explosion back in Volterra, one that took the lives of three Guard members.

But Bella was oblivious to these new rumours, only because she had been out in the fields all day, miles from town, unbeknownst to anything. It was the end of a long day, and surely when she went back to her bunks in town she would hear, but for now, she was just being her tired, lonely self.

Bella laid on her back after a long day of work, the dark sky washing away her worries and the bright stars giving her something to stare at. The night air was cool, which pressed into her skin when a breeze came up over the grassy hills of Ireland, raising the hairs on her neck. She wore plain active clothes that she had been training, running, and sweating her ass off in along the fields all day. The Guard had fully tested her agility today, forcing her to run until she could no more, and counting every single pushup she did in between the miles she ran. It was her first official day being apart of 12-21-12, the highest group in The Guard. And even though she had been in The Guard for fifteen years prier, it seemed all different now in the new location.

The new tattoo didn't make matters any better. It was awkward looking down at her forearm and seeing an even bigger black line of numbers, ones she couldn't get on the same page with.

She felt like a pile of broken bones lying in the middle of nowhere. Her back hurt, her arms hurt, and her neck hurt—hell, everything hurt. But the exhaustion from the full day of work was strangely thrilling. It felt right to end the day with proof of hard work from her tired body. It was satisfying to know she had pushed her limits and proved she could do something. Even though she still couldn't find a reason for staying with The Guard, she felt content—well, miserable, but still content.

"Bella!"

Of course, moments of contentment and okayness were short lived now. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the sound of her name coming from the mouth of the vampire that had been bothering her all day. Instead of looking for his voice, she listened to the night crickets and wild animals roaming around, sending a nervous feeling up her spine. She knew she truly was never alone, and knowing that made her feel sort of sad. Bella wanted to be alone, to fade away, to not exist—

"Sleeping on the job?" he asked above her, scaring her out of her doze, her eyes flying open to stare into his red ones. James had snuck up on her, which wasn't out of the ordinary considering he was the best damn tracker The Guard could find. He hadn't heard about the news of the explosion yet either, lucky for Bella. He was one to jump to conclusions.

Bella wasn't worried about his acquisitions though. They both knew she was the hardest working hybrid around. Even if she was sleeping on the job, it would be more than anyone else was putting in. "Of course not," she said nonchalantly, looking out of his strong gaze. She looked back up at the stars, trying to find the solace they had offered before he had come. "I haven't slept in weeks." It was true. At night, when she was in her top bunk, in the room that she shared with several other vampires, she stared at the ceiling. She couldn't find sleep when the creatures around her found it unnatural to do so. As a hybrid, she learned that keeping your eyes open for as long as possible could keep you from getting killed. Especially now, after her stunt she had pulled back in Italy two days ago.

James didn't appreciate her lack of enthusiasm around him. She wasn't afraid of him anymore, and that fact made him nervous. A hybrid with confidence was a bad thing, and it was his job to keep them in line. He had trained Bella into the pits of despair, and he could surely get her back to that place in time. He moved to lean over her, his head blocking her view of the stars above. "I'm miles ahead of you in rank, Swan. It seems you've forgotten how to act around your commanders."

Bella sighed, knowing this could get ugly. She rolled her eyes and stood up slowly. But of course, she had to get the last word in. "So sorry James. I didn't realize I had signed up for the Air Force."

She was back on the ground in a second, the back of her head throbbing from the hit that had put her there. She didn't bother complaining. She sighed again, leaning back onto her elbows to look up at him. She waited for what ever speech was coming next.

And then he surprised her. No huge speech. No lecture on how she was fading into the background of the ground, losing touch with reality. Maybe he knew she was a lost cause, or maybe he knew she really didn't give a shit anymore. Instead of the typical threats he threw her way constantly, he gave his orders. "We've got a new guy. You'll be learning the roots of this place alongside him. The guy's really something. Great potential."

Bella had heard _that_ before. James said that about every new addition he brought in. Hell, he probably had thought that about _her_, all those years ago. She still didn't know why she was allowed to stay. Sure, she showed she had strength and will, but determination only got you so far when you didn't have something to offer.

Bella stood up from the ground, the grass stains on her knees visible on her blue jeans. "Where is he?" she asked, already recovered from the so called blow to the head. It was funny how everything that happened between them could go on unsaid. Bickering wasn't something that happened in The Guard, and maybe that's why she and James never held onto grudges. It wasn't a grudge when their hate came naturally.

"Over there," James said, looking over her shoulder. She turned on the spot, noticing that there was in fact a figure alone in the distance, atop one of the small rolling hills, gazing at the sky like she had just been doing. It made her feel less alone for some reason. "He's been here in Ireland for five months prior and exceeded through the prior groupings. He's now apart of 12-21-12. He'll be great."

Bella's eyes blurred while she stared at him, and then she was no longer staring at anything but blank space. Her thoughts were everywhere; life, the end of it all, and how she had signed on with it. She was a sick person. A truly, sick and disgusting person.

"He's going to be your new buddy for the next couple weeks. Wherever you go, he'll be right beside you. If you go to the bathroom, he better be holding your purse on the other side of the door—"

"I don't do well with buddies and I sure as hell don't own a purse—"

"If you go out on a public outing, he's there with you. If you jump, he jumps, if you fall—"

"You clap?"

Bella felt the slap before she saw the hand coming to her face. It was quick and to the point. She kept her mouth shut after.

"You're just going to be showing each other around and babysitting each other for the next while. He knows the basics. He's been trained and filled in. He knows everything you know. He's seen and heard everything you've seen."

_No he hasn't_. She knew he wouldn't still be standing there willing to sign his life away if he had. Plus, he probably wasn't as gutsy as her. Her actions towards The Guard the other night sort of proved that.

"Remember…" he leaned in closer to her, his eyes actually growing darker. She recognized _this_ look. It was the look that showed he was capable of anything and everything. She stared straight into his eyes, her spine shaking like the day she met him. "No funny stuff. If I hear of any troubles, I'm going to assume it was you two." She noticed how his eyes seemed to grow smaller on that remark.

She held in a chuckle. "You know what happens when you assume."

"No, I don't. Why don't you tell me?" His eyes glared into her face.

She sighed. "Never mind."

He continued on his rant. "Same rules apply as always. When you talk with him, it better have a connection with The Guard. Otherwise, keep your mouth shut."

That didn't seem too difficult. She wasn't a talker.

"Got it, _Swan_?"

She looked at the figure in the distance out of the corner of her eye, and then she nodded at James, agreeing with everything he said even though she didn't. He left her then, disappearing into the night, which made her feel a little bit better. He was always off training some new person or working to get in higher ranks so that Aro noticed him.

She made her way towards the figure slowly, watching his mannerisms while she descended one hill and climbed another one. He had the tendency to sway back and forth, uncommon and very unnecessary for vampires. He also had his arms crossed, another learnt behaviour which he had probably carried over from his human existence in dealing with stress. She had made it ten feet from him when she finally stopped, her feet sinking into the dewy, 2am grass. She knew he knew she was behind him, but she didn't call him out. She waited for him to talk first, and she didn't have to wait long.

"I'm Derek," he said, keeping his head straight, his body tense. He didn't turn around to acknowledge her fully, but that didn't bother her. She wasn't one to make a huge production out of things.

"Bella," she said lowly behind him, looking at her feet. She had on busted up running shoes with the laces untied. They were fitting for her. She walked a bit closer to him, until she could see the side of his face, where the moon shown over his hard jaw line and hard edged face. He was good looking, if you looked in the right places. He probably wasn't when he was human though. But he looked like the typical, mysterious type The Guard went for. Strong bodied, but probably not strong minded. The Guard didn't want vampires who had the ability to have an opinion.

"Well Bella…" he finally looked her way, his eyes moving over the moonlight that was lighting up her face. He looked at her for only a second, and then turned straight forward again, as if he didn't see anything he liked.

Bella waited for him to finish, but he didn't. He just continued looking into the distance, counting the sheep that didn't roam, or the blades of grass that waved in the wind. She had to ask for him. "Well Bella what?"

He smirked. He couldn't help it. This Bella girl was quite hard to read, but he could already see that she wasn't like everyone else. It could be quite difficult working with her while he got his training wheels taken off.

"Hello! What were you saying?" she smacked him in the shoulder to get his attention, her eyes finding his again when he turned to look at her again. He wiped his grin off his face and shook his head, looking away just as quickly as before. She was about to call it all off, and turn around to go find James to get rid of this procrastinator, but he finally finished.

"I was just going to comment on how sad your eyes look," he said lowly, never looking away from the sky. His neck was strained like he couldn't get close enough to the stars.

Bella chuckled, crossing her arms like his. She was the defensive type, or maybe she was just sensitive.

Derek turned his body to finally face her straight on. Her body posture told him she didn't like what he had just told her, but his gift to read people wasn't working. She was all over the place. Unreadable. He just had to go off instincts with her, and it was quite clear that she was a wild mustang that couldn't be broke. "Well you do…" he said, looking up at the stars for a second and then back at her face.

Bella laughed, mocking him. "Why wouldn't I have sad eyes?" she huffed at him, turning her back and walking away. She didn't like Derek. He was nosey. She made it five feet before she heard his voice again.

"_I_ don't have sad eyes."

She stopped and turned on the spot, her glare finding his eyes, which of course, were too bright and wide to ever be called sad. Even with the red tint, they didn't look threatening, and she knew, he wasn't like everyone else.

"Just because you've have a hard life doesn't mean you get to put on those 'my-ice-cream-just-melted-and-my-balloons-just-blew-away' eyes of yours."

Bella stared defencelessly into his eyes, not speaking, because she knew he was right.

"I ran away from my family when I was younger without a single notice. They haven't heard from me in years, and not knowing what has come of me has got to be the worse feeling in the world for them. I know that because I don't know what has become of them. I feel regret everyday of my life. It burns my inside like the thirst I feel when I'm around your kind, and I'd do anything to take back my stupid teenage delusions."

Bella lit up for a second. She had something to say on the topic of leaving. "I left my family too. But if you leave them, that means they weren't that important to you. End of story."

He shook his head. "That could be true, but that doesn't mean you didn't mean something to them."

Bella blinked. She didn't believe that. But then again, she never gave herself the time of day to think that maybe they hurt just as much as her. What did Carlisle do when she left? She always painted the picture of him finding some other lost creature to replace her with, or maybe they hadn't even wanted a replacement because there wasn't a void to fill. But now that she was letting all the options come to her, what if Carlisle still wondered about her like she wondered about him? What if when he didn't sleep at night, he asked himself whether he had made the right decision in keeping the secret from her? What if he felt remorse? What if he loved her like she had loved him and that family? What if Bella was the stupid, ignorant one…

"I used to mope around a lot before all of _this,_" he said lowly, uncrossing his arms and holding them up in front of him to show what _this_ meant. "Now the only thing I feel is the signals coming off of people's skin—their intentions are all around them, and their potential is painted on their skin for me to see. I know the people to stay away from, and I know the genuine from the fake. I know if someone is greater than me, or if they are like the gum sticking to the bottom of my boot. There is no surprise in my life. There is nothing hiding behind the next corner. Life is just…blank."

Bella stared awkwardly at him, not knowing what else to do. And when he looked directly into her eyes, she looked to the ground for protection.

"Sorry," he said out of nowhere.

Bella smiled to herself. She had no idea what had just occurred, but for some reason, it told her this guy was a gift from god. They were the same outcasts, both deep individuals, who didn't know which way was up. "No, you're right. We're all fucked so I shouldn't be as miserable if we're all the same."

"Everyone's in the gutter…"

"But some of us are looking at the stars," Bella finished. "I know that one. But the gutter is pretty damn full and the stars don't provide enough light some nights here."

"You don't need light to be okay. Darkness has its advantages…" He looked at her with a gleam in his eye, one that meant she was supposed to look further into his comment. "On another note, have you heard about the explosion?"

Bella's heart rate picked up. She stumbled for words. "Explosion? What are you talking about?" she asked lamely, trying to play the dumb card. Hopefully he wouldn't be able to see through her terrible acting skills.

He looked at her strangely, but sighed. "Yeah. Some brave soul took on The Guard. They blew up the fight pit in Volterra. I don't know what was going through their mind, but it sure was ballsy."

Bella widened her eyes just for added drama. "Is that right?" She turned her face away from him.

"Yeah. Can you imagine doing something like that?"

"Nope," she said lowly, popping the 'p'.

Silence sat with them momentarily, and then Bella found a new subject for them to switch to. "Your gift allows you to see other people's gifts, and also whether someone has good intentions or not. Well…what do you see in me?" She really was curious. Would she shine like an outcast, would she sparkle like a dare devil, would she be black and evil as James…

He smiled. "You're special, that's for sure."

She tilted her head, not believing him.

"I can't see that much into you, but you have an aura about you. It's bright, and I've never seen anything like it. I don't really know what that means."

Bella smiled. "Really…" She liked that. She liked that quite a lot. Not knowing was probably better.

"James asked me to look into you. What do you think about that?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "It doesn't surprise me. Actually, you should be looking into his intentions if anything."

"He's as evil as they come," Derek chuckled. "And he likes tracing things and following things."

"Tracking."

"Oh it's much deeper than that. It's his obsession. If he can't find something, it seems to drive him nuts."

Bella smiled. "I'll remember that for next time I want to mess with him. But right now, we're not supposed to be talking about anything else that hasn't anything to do with the Guard."

Derek nodded. "It was like that over in the other groups I was in before here."

"It's like that everywhere. They don't want people making friends. That's why they separated me and my only friend. Now we're countries apart, and I don't know how I'm going to survive this place much longer."

Derek held out his hand to her, his palm straight up. "Well Bella, I may not be a hybrid, and I may have only just met you, but I'd still like to be your friend."

Bella looked at him funny. Usually friendships just happened. They weren't offered up the first day of meeting.

Derek saw the huge question mark on her face, so he persisted further. "What do you say? You lean on me, I lean on you. Like a secret friendship. That way neither of us gets screwed in the end."

Why wouldn't she accept the offer? Even if it seemed ignorant to suggest they wouldn't get screwed over by defying The Guard with this friendship, it seemed more wrong to deny that these two were a lot alike. "Ok." She dropped her hand in his and shook it once, letting go of his hand after and dropping her arm to her side.

He crossed his arms and turned back to the sky. Only the side of his face was lit by the moon, but Bella could still see he was smirking.

"Since we're friends, that means we can tell each other our deepest, darkest secrets?"

He shrugged. "I'm all ears."

She smiled. She didn't know why, but she felt she had to tell someone. Not even Victoria knew what Bella had done before she was shipped out for training. "I did something…and it's kind of extreme"

He was interested all the sudden. "Well what is it?"

She grinned. "You're not going to believe me…but I knew about the explosion…I was the one who blew up the fight pit, back in Italy, the one we used to train in."

"What?"

"I don't know why I did it, but the night before I was leaving for this place to start training, I was so angry that they weren't letting my friend come to Ireland with me. I just lost it, and I had to do something. That training room had always pissed me off, so I blew it up."

"That was you?"

She looked up at the sky. "Oh yeah."

He shook his head. "Of course I become friends with the traitor."

She brought her glare back to him. "I'm not a traitor. It was just a little explosion. Nothing big. No one cares."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "No one cares? Then why the hell is that damn stunt the talk of The Guard?"

"What?"

"You haven't heard a thing?"

"No." She looked at him weird. She didn't know what he was saying.

"You killed three Guard members that night."

Bella's eyes widened. She hadn't even realized there was anyone around the night she blew it up. "I did?" she asked, truly shocked.

"Yup."

She shook her head. "Really?"

"Was it worth it?"

She was grinning all the sudden. "I think so." She couldn't believe it.

"You're the talk of every Guard member around. Do you know that?"

"No! What do you mean?"

"I mean that everyone is on their toes—they think someone on the inside is trying to stir things up."

Bella laughed. "Good. A little nervousness could do them good."

He watched her face light up with pleasure, and then the laugh lines fade, her face returning back to the plain, lonely one from before. He felt the need to cheer her up a bit. "You're lucky I hate this place as much as you. Maybe one day we'll do something like that, just as crazy?"

She shrugged. "If this place is just as bad as Italy, I might hold you to it."

That was the first night their deceiving of The Guard began. Just a simple friendship, something Bella already had with Victoria, nothing more. Day in and day out, they trained together, moved together, and bunked together. They were all each other had, and because of that, they looked out for each other, just like they promised. But eventually, days turned into weeks, weeks turned into a couple months, and then the two weren't required to spend every waking moment together.

All good things have to come to an end…and that fact pissed Bella off.

They were separated. Bella was put into a group headed towards the west side of the world. Even though she would be reunited with Victoria, she was losing Derek, who was being sent to the southern regions, hitting everywhere between China and New Zealand.

They didn't get to say goodbye to each other.

A year and a half of traveling passed quickly though, their assignments ending for a break in Ireland where their grouping headquarters hadn't moved. Neither knew the other were back in the area, and that's why it was shocking to Bella when she walked over the hillside she had always gone to in the past, and saw someone already in her spot. She was about to retreat back into hiding, until the figure looked over his shoulder, just for a second, and then looked back in front of him.

She grinned and ran down the hill, her legs knocking into each other and her pony tail whipping her in the face. She slowed down when she was ten feet from him and then walked nonchalantly up to him, taking a seat on the ground to the left of him.

Derek felt her eyes on the side of his face instantly. He tilted his head to the right to find her brown eyes wide and big. He only kept his gaze on her for two seconds, and then went back to gazing into the distance.

Bella sighed. "Whatcha thinking Derek?" she asked, staring at the side of his face, just like she always did, while he thought silently about her question.

He answered quicker than expected. "I was just thinking how sad your eyes look," he said lowly, never turning from his gaze at the sky.

_That_ she laughed at. "What do you expect? I go away for a year and a half doing things I don't want to do and seeing things I don't want to see, and I come back with bright little eyes like yours…" she trailed at the end, remembering the look in his eyes when she first saw him tonight. "Derek, look at me."

He turned his head, his chin resting on his shoulder. His eyes looked into hers, but he only held her gaze for a second. That second was long enough for her to see the difference from before.

"You've changed…" she whispered, shaking her head in disbelief. His eyes were no longer bright and hopeful like the day she met him. They were dull and scary, like her own. "I didn't think this place would get to you…I thought you were different."

He shook his head. "Good actor. You can't hide what you've always had here. The Guard brings out the worst in all of us. Had to happen sometime."

Their lives were going nowhere now. Neither had hopes, neither had dreams, and neither knew what exactly they were doing. Bella and Derek had had the same journey to The Guard, both ignorant, naïve souls, believing anything and everything that was fed to them. But now, after living in the dark for far too long, a thin beam of light was showing them a ray of truth. For once, they weren't questioning it. The Guard was wrong. Their being there was wrong. Everything they were doing was wrong.

"Derek I hate myself so much."

He nodded. "Yeah."

Bella had been at this point several times in her life. She referred to it as the black period, where the numb feeling that protected her from the evil around her seemed to fade, and then she was left with all the pain running through her veins from her stupid decisions. Sometimes the black period would be short and quick, only last a few weeks, but sometimes, months could go by and she'd question her entire existence.

"Bella…"

"What Derek."

"It doesn't have to be like this."

She didn't even look at him. Instead, Bella pretended she didn't hear the tone in his voice, or the words coming out from his mouth. The last time she said something stupid like that was before she left Italy, and The Guard was still searching for the inside person that had done the unthinkable.

"Bella?"

"Stop it." She was serious then. He didn't know half of what he was saying.

"Bella."

"What?" she flew into a standing position, her brown eyes glaring over his face. She noticed how he suddenly looked different. It was amazing what a little hope in a system could do to a person's spirit.

"I said it doesn't have to be this way. We can change things up a bit."

She shook her head, her eyes growing wide with fear for even talking about something so stupid. "You need to get your head out of the gutter and start getting back on track with things. Let's get back to headquarters, sleep it off—"

"Oh are you going to sleep the suck off? You can't find sleep and I can't sleep even if I tried, so I don't think that plans going to work."

"Well I'm going back."

"Alone."

Bella stared at him, shocked. "Alone? What, you're not even coming back now?"

"Damn right. I hate it here, so what am I doing staying? No point crying over it. I leave. End of story."

"_End of story._ That's a great way to put it. Especially for six billion people."

"Staying and doing nothing is a whole lot worse Bella."

She threw his hands through her hair, pulling them down to cover her face and groan into. Of course she had thought about this over and over again a few years ago, but actually doing something about the hell they were in…it was a lot easier said than done.

"Bella."

She pulled her hands from her face and looked at him through the darkness. She could still see the gleam in his eyes.

"Don't make me leave alone…I don't have anywhere to go."

She shrugged. "I can't make you stay. That's your decision. And if you leave, they search for you and either bring you back if you're worth it, or kill you."

"Is that why you're still alive? You were worth something to them?"

Her heart sank a little into her gut. She didn't like going down this road.

"What if I were to tell you what you did in Italy two years ago was the beginning of something in this hell hole?"

She chuckled. "I'm leaving. Goodnight Derek—"

"You can ask Victoria too."

Bella blinked. "Excuse me?" She didn't like to joke when her friend was being thrown into the middle.

"Bella, listen to me."

"I am."

He hesitated. "Bella your stunt you did…it was incredible. So incredible that it got the attention of everyone inside and outside The Guard."

"I wasn't looking for attention. I was simply looking for a place to blow off some steam."

"Well whatever your intentions were didn't matter. Your stunt sent a message to The Guard, and they got it loud and clear. They're nervous now—"

"You think I don't know that? I've heard this a hundred times over. Everyone looks at me weird because it's practically written on my face that I'm the one. No one had proof though, and that's why I'm still here. Alive."

"Well guess what Bella? Others want to stand up, just like you did that night on your departure. Bella…you're that symbol they're looking for. All it takes is one, and you were always it. Don't you think this is why you agreed to join, why you have survived the groups, and why you're still here, enduring it all? There's a reason for everything, and I think your purpose is clear…"

"What? No. No way. This is crazy—"

"No you're the crazy one! Why would you ever give up this opportunity? You'd go down in history if you could pull it off!"

Bella threw up her hands. "Pull what off? You're talking in tongues. You sound ridiculous. I've done nothing. I'm a stupid hybrid! A stupid, plain Jane, hybrid."

"Not anymore you're not, _Bella Swan_."

She eyed him wearily. "Don't say my name like that."

"Like what?"

"Like it means something."

"But it _does._ It means _a lot_ to most people now. That's why you need to do something with it—show them you haven't given up!"

"Maybe I have given up!"

He stared at her, shaking his head. "No…I don't believe that. Because if that were the case, if you _had _actually given up, I don't think you'd still be breathing."

She didn't know what to say. He was right.

"So what do you say Bella…The Resistance lies in your hands…"

"The Resistance? You can't name it! Especially a name that isn't ours to take!"

"Why not? There isn't such thing yet. It's always been yours for the taking, waiting patiently."

Bella stared into space, not knowing what to believe. What if the entire time she had been here, her fate was already mapped out for her. What if the organization that she was part of was just a stepping stone to the next thing she had to create. The Guard was there to prevent The Resistance, but was it true—would there be a Resistance without her?

"I'm waiting, Bella Swan. And so is the rest of the world."

"If I say yes now, what then?"

"We show the world you're alive and well. You show the world you're in it till the end. You give The Guard members that are like you and I some hope. You give the people out there in the real world a chance. There are people out there that don't even know how important you are. But right now, _this moment_, you need to decide…do you want to fade away in this place, or are you going to step up and be somebody?"

She swallowed the fear in her throat, her heart pounding into her chest. Her decision was obvious. All these years she had been searching for something. _This_ was it. "Fine. I'll do it."

He grinned. "Of course you will."

She didn't smile though. It felt weird. Everything was too fast.

"Now what will your next stunt be, Miss Swan? A fire, a flood, a message burned into a field—"

She shook her head. "No."

"Were you listening? I said you need to show everyone you're not backing down. The traitor is amongst us, and you need to let The Guard know."

Bella sighed. "I'm not blowing anything up again. That was too dramatic."

Derek was already disagreeing. "You have to do something similar. It's your trade mark. That way everyone knows it's the same person, and the same situation."

Bella hesitated. "I don't know…"

"Come on," Derek stood up and tugged on her hoodie until she was standing. "I'll take the reins on this one, but it's your name their going to be chanting one day."

Bella shrugged. "That's fine with me. As long as I'm out of here by that time, they can chant whatever the fuck they want." Bella followed up him up the hill, and continued behind him until they were back at headquarters. But Bella noticed quickly that Derek had led them around the back routes, hidden amongst the shadows until they were slipping through the back entrance of the new state of the art training room. It had a huge field area, a fight pit, a wrap around track, and all of the fancy workout equipment imaginable. Bella cursed under her breath. "Are you kidding me? I said not again!"

Derek reached out and covered her mouth with his hand. "_Will you keep your voice down_!" he whispered. "You don't know who's around here."

"Derek it's too obvious it's me. I'm the only one who's been in both areas if we blow up this training area too."

Derek shook his head. "Don't worry. They're not going to look that closely at you. You were with me the whole time. And I'm a good kid." He smirked. She slapped him. "Ok, would you just trust me?"

For some stupid reason, Bella relaxed a little when he said that. Having someone on your side made things a little easier. She did trust him. She exhaled. "Fine."

"Now show me what you did last time."

She grabbed his arm and pulled him through the lowly lit edges of the room, all the way back until she found the janitors room like last time. When they were both inside, she turned on the light. She pointed to the tank in the corner, connected to a bunch of other pipes and metal things Bella didn't understand. "See that?"

His eyes went wide. "That's a huge propane tank."

"It's used to heat the hot tubs and showers. It's bigger than the old one I used to blow up the training area in Volterra."

"Well, should make for a good show."

Bella went to work then. She found a tool box in the corner where she got herself a hammer and screw driver. She used both to puncture about ten small holes into the tank. She smelled the propane immediately and cursed. "Damn. I forgot. It's got sulphate in it. I didn't have to worry about this last time with the older tank. They're going to smell the leak and see the holes if I don't hurry up."

"Well hurry up."

"Oh fuck."

"_What?"_ Derek hissed.

"Matches…I don't have any."

He cursed at her. "Are you kidding me!" But when he reached into his pants pockets, he found his lighter. "You're lucky Swan."

"Why the fuck do you have a lighter?"

"Will you shut up and work."

Bella grabbed onto his shoulder and tugged him towards the small windows in the corner. They looked too small for either of them to get through, but it was the only opening they had to get out of and throw the fire in to.

"_I don't even think a cat could fit through that!_" Derek whispered.

"Suck in." Bella smashed the window with her fist, the stinging pain lasting for half a second. Derek gave her a hoist and helped shove her through the window, but when it came to him, it took a bit more time. But he got through it somehow, bringing a piece of cardboard with him, handing it to Bella.

"Ready?" he asked.

She smirked. "Get ready to run." She lit the cardboard after two tries on one of its corners, and before it could burn out, she threw it into the room.

Derek grabbed onto her body the moment the cardboard released from her fingers. He held her tight in his arms and pumped his legs to get them as far as possible before the place went up. He managed to get them one hundred meters before his legs were taken out from under him, an ear splitting noise the only sound behind him. He held Bella underneath his body, just in case.

Bella looked out from under his body at the flames dancing into the sky, but she only got to stare into the destruction for a second because moments after the explosion, they were back on their feet, running back to their bunk areas to keep up their alibi. While they ran, Bella couldn't help but smile.

Derek laughed, noticing for the first time her bright eyes. "You've changed Bella," he accused.

She grinned. "Maybe so, but this time it's for the better."

-x-

**A/N:** Next chapter we'll get back to present day.

**Recap:** In this chapter, we learned that Bella really was the one who started the spark for The Resistance. She blew up a training room back in Volterra just because she was pissed, not thinking anything of it. People questioned her because she was conveniently out of there the next day. But there wasn't proof, so she was fine.

Then she met Derek, who was a lot like her. They became friends, and then when they were separated, they lost interest in The Guard from seeing things they didn't want to see in their assignments. That's where Derek convinced Bella to make a stand, and she did by blowing up the training room in Galway.

**Song: The Only Exception by Paramore**


	25. A Minor Incident

**Previous Chapter(s) Recap: **Bella had walked off after a fight with Demetri about Victoria, but then came back to the clearing in the woods. Her mood changed when Austin reminded her about a boy named Derek…who we learned about in the last chapter. Now the plans ensue.

**Disclaimer: **I just want an audience, and that's why I'm using these characters that belong to SM. They are great.

**Chapter 25: A Minor Incident**

"_There's nothing I could say to make you try to feel okay,  
And nothing you could do to stop me feeling the way I do."- Badly Drawn Boy_

-x-

The four agreed to wait until sundown to move from their current hiding place in the woods. That left them four hours to decide what exactly they wanted to do when the sun was officially asleep.

Demetri and Bella were strangely back to their buddy relationship, nothing about the previous incident even mentioned when Demetri came back into the clearing. They just sat on the same log, going through the contents of a backpack Demetri had filled from his trip into town. That left Edward and Austin sitting back and watching, unable to follow along with the stories Bella was telling about this Derek guy.

_Derek._ Edward sat next to Austin, across from the chit-chatting couple, staring into the space in front of him while his mind chewed on the boy's name. _Derek_. It had left Bella's mouth 14 times since Austin had first brought him up.

"—and Demetri, you wouldn't even let Derek near you! You remember that? You were too scared he'd see right through your 'evil' façade. And you know what, Derek did!"

Make that 16 times. Edward shifted on the log beneath him, his eyes rolling until they found Bella's face again. Although, it seemed that she was completely unaware of him at the moment. He wanted that ability—to erase her existence from his mind. It'd make everything easy. He didn't understand how she was doing it, how she could be so wrapped up in this Derek guy with Demetri, oblivious to his gaze.

"I remember when you found out Derek and I were bunking together. You fucking lost it…" Bella said, trailing at the end when her eyes went into the distance, like she was recalling the moment in the past.

Austin let out a gush of air. He had been watching Edward out of the corner of his eye while Bella spoke about Derek, noticing how much he fidgeted, but this time Edward seemed to freeze. Austin turned his head and saw Edward's eyes, wide with fear and anger, but strangely in a daze.

Bella on the other hand was grinning from ear to ear now, immersed in past memories. That night, although funny now, had been quite frustrating. Demetri didn't want Derek rooming with Bella, his older brother tendencies as his reason. But James had said they were partners, so Bella had one top bunk, and Derek had the other one, across the room from her. Both were able to do their planning easily when their other roommates were out, unbeknownst to anyone. Platonic was always the main adjective between them. That's why their relationship was so easy.

Bella fell out of her grin though when she felt it—the feeling of two icy eyes on her face. She looked up and there was Edward's glazed over eyes on hers, shooting shivers and shots of regret up her spine. She looked away and dropped the topic of Derek, only because the look on his face told her he was assuming something.

_Ugh!_ She would hate him if he told campfire stories about his past friends who happened to be girls. She'd be heartbroken…Bella swallowed and grabbed the backpack off of Demetri's lap, pushing her feelings for Edward out of her mind. She didn't realize that only sent them to her heart, where they'd be buried for another day.

"What are you doing?" Demetri grabbed the bag back from her and continued pulling the supplies out of it.

"You're going too slow," Bella mumbled.

"What's the rush?" He removed a can of pop and threw one to Austin, who caught it easily. He cracked it open instantly and chugged its contents in two seconds. "We have till night fall to relax."

Bella sighed, choosing not to get into it with him again. The waiting game was not her favourite thing. But she knew they had to wait till dark. Helicopters were in the area, and it wasn't too hard to figure out who was driving them and what they were looking for.

Demetri hesitated next, but decided to swallow his pride and just go for it. "And I got something for you—to apologize for me being an ass—"

Bella cut him off before he could finish. "—I don't like apologies, they make things worse. You know that."

Demetri put his palm on the back of his neck. "I do know that, but I feel bad—"

"_You_ feel bad. Exactly."

Demetri glared at her, wanting to give up. "You're extremely difficult Bella, and now I don't really want to apologize."

Bella leaned forward, placing her elbows on her knees, her hands cupping her face. "Good. I don't want you to either. What you said was true."

"Bella—"

"No, shut up Demetri. Just let me finish."

"Yeah, let her finish," Austin said, holding up his hand to Demetri to shush him. Austin wasn't aware of what exactly they were even arguing about, so he was curious—that is until Edward nudged him in the elbow, his subtle yet obvious gesture to drop it.

Edward hated the look of terror and sadness he had seen a few hours ago on Bella's face, and if avoiding this Victoria subject would prevent that, he'd let it stay hidden. Even if he was curious himself…

"Bella, I didn't mean what I said about her."

"I know you didn't. I say a lot of things too in the moment, only later to regret them. I understand."

Edward shifted again. Now t_hat_ hit him hard.

"Well, it was the past and I should have kept it there…" he said, hesitating for the next words. It was a struggle. "I'm…_sorry_." Demetri had never said those two words before. He was taught that they meant you were weak. Bella knew that rule too, so she should also know that him saying them was a _big_ deal.

And she did. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from falling apart, her chest filling with remorse for ever making him feel guilty. That meant a lot to her, what he just said. And it was killing her to have to sit there and take it in. "It's fine," she said lowly, looking to the ground for comfort. Inside, she was fighting for control.

Demetri saved the awkward silence though. "Anyway, I got you something else to match that brand new shirt you're wearing."

Bella pretended to be interested, and tried to meet his eyes. Her own looked on the verge of watering. "Oh yeah?" She was composed finally, and threw in a smile for his sake. "What else could possibly top this t-shirt that just so _happens _to be too tight for me?"

Austin chuckled. He had noticed that too when Bella shoved the shirt over her body the moment Demetri handed it to her. It may have hid her scars, but it didn't hide her figure like she was used to doing. She had an insanely muscular body— Edward jabbed him again, this time much harder. Austin held in a grin, removing his mind from the topic of Bella's body.

Demetri rummaged through his backpack, looking for the gift. "I noticed you like to make attachments to inanimate objects or things…" he said, chuckling when she rolled her eyes. Bella waited while he threw the remains of food out of the bag. She wrapped her arms around her body, feeling the metal under her skin rub against bone. It had been a fight with Edward and Demetri to forget about the bullets under her skin, but now, trying to find a comfortable sitting position was making her regret that decision. "Here it is—" Demetri tossed it towards her.

Bella let the balled up lump of black material fall into her lap, surprised that he wasn't kidding about having a gift for her. She held it up in front of her, where it uncoiled to reveal two arms and a hood…

"I got you a new hoodie. Maybe this one will survive living with you."

There were no words.

Edward watched Bella's reaction carefully, Austin beside him, just as still. Demetri threw his hand through his hair. "Do you like it?"

She could have cried. It was the most thoughtful thing anyone had ever done for her. "Like it…" She stood up and looked Edward in the eyes, seeing the perplexed look across his face. She looked away from him and found Demetri's gaze. She didn't know what to say to him. It was too perfect—a jet black hoodie, brand new, with a little Nike symbol in the corner. She shoved it over her shoulders and down her body, the pain not even there anymore. She put her hands in the pocket, where she was used to holding onto her silver lighter, and then looked down at herself, feeling…good. Great actually.

"You love it, don't you." Demetri stated, trying to hold back a smile.

Edward on the other hand was watching Bella's face. She looked up at Demetri and without saying a word, nodded sincerely, pulling her hands out of the pocket and sliding the hood up over her head. It was the most genuine moment he had ever seen her in. She looked proud and confident, all from a _hoodie_. It was killing him how he was falling in love with her every second, over and over again…

Bella finally spoke again. "I haven't been given something so nice in a long time…" She hesitated next, not knowing where she was going with this. She felt like herself all the sudden. Her childhood self, where she wasn't surrounded by pain and decisions. She felt light and in control. She had to take advantage of the moment. "On another note though…I have something to say, which is out of nowhere but I think it needs to be said right now."

Austin leaned forward, interested. Demetri didn't know a sweater could get so much out of her, nor did Edward.

"I want to apologize to all of you. I've been, ugh, well…hard to be around since…" She couldn't say Victoria's name. She avoided it. "Since the apocalypse."

Demetri nodded, allowing Bella to exhale and smile. She could count on Demetri to agree on her being difficult. But then his smile was gone, and Bella knew why when she saw Edward glaring at him.

"No really, Edward…" She pulled her hood down. She looked back to the ground. "I have been lost for years. I don't know how to be myself, and that's why I'm so insensitive and cold hearted. I think I knew a version of myself when I lived in Alaska briefly, but I lost it, and that's why I've been all over the place, doing things, and being things I'm not sure about. But now, everything has changed, and I have an opportunity to make something with myself." Bella shoved her hands back into the hoodie, wishing she had her lighter to flip open and close to calm her anxiety. "I realize now—for real this time—that this is what I live for. I live for you three, the others back at camp, maybe even myself. I want to be happy one day. That's what I _truly_ want."

"That's what all of us want too," Edward said, standing up and stepping behind the log, looking like he was retreating.

"I didn't for a long time. But I want you guys to know you can depend on me…I'm not going anywhere." Bella said the last part staring into Edward's eyes, and maybe that's why it was too much for him. He shook his head, and left the clearing, vanishing into the thick forest.

_Coward. _Bella wanted to shout it after him. But she had been the one running for too long, and it only made sense now that she had a taste of her own medicine.

It tasted sick.

-x-

"Can you feel them under your skin?" Austin stared at the area he had remembered seeing a light pink scar on Bella's skin, near her ribs, where the hoodie was now covering.

They had left the woods the moment the sun dropped behind the tree line, and now were walking along the same dirt road the mob had chased them off of. Unfortunately, they had to walk towards the town, which meant they had to be on their toes for anything. So far, it was good. No sign of human life. But that's what they thought last time, so everyone kept their eyes peeled.

Bella picked up her pace a little, edging behind Edward, but she still answered him. "Just when I move or stand still."

"Oh well that's not too bad then," Austin said, the sarcasm thick in his voice.

Bella chuckled, but didn't make any more remarks after. Because it was true what she had said. There wasn't a moment she didn't feel the metal grinding against her, the pain a throbbing, itching kind that never left her mind. But she couldn't say anything because they had only a certain amount of time to get to a certain house that according to Austin, was important.

"There's a truck parked at a rundown farmhouse. It's our best bet for getting out of here quick and to the next state over. Maybe we can meet up with the rest of the resistance again, where we'll make our final decision on how to get in contact with Derek," Austin had told them when he first stumbled upon them in the woods. But Bella knew it wouldn't be too difficult to find Derek, and it would be even easier to get him on track with their scheming. He was the one who had never backed down from a task. He was still in The Guard for a reason, and Bella knew it was because he still had intentions to take it down. Luckily for them, Demetri's tracking was showing that Jude and Derek were in the same location. It didn't take an idiot to see that they were all subconsciously hoping he had already picked her out of the group. But on the other hand, everyone knew the odds were slim.

Edward hadn't said two words to anyone since their little group meeting in the clearing. He was beside himself with how the day had panned out. Bella now wanted the world to know she was on '_their side_'. Maybe if she stopped making promises she couldn't keep then he'd find it easier to look at her. And it didn't help that she was ignoring him to now. Why couldn't they quit being so childish? Takes two to tango though…

It was another night, and everyone had other things to worry about besides who hated who. It was dark out, the moon hidden behind a blanket of dark clouds. The stars were still out luckily, and that gave Bella something to stare at. They sure looked lovely tonight. Everything about the night was good. They had a plan, she had a new hoodie, and Edward was pretending she didn't exist—oh wait, that last one sucked. As refreshing it was to have his glares off her face, she felt more alone than ever. All from admitting she's an idiot.

And it got worse when Bella realized the house Austin wanted to steal the truck from wasn't just any old house. Nope. It had to be the house they had just been at before sun down—Cecilia's place.

"Austin we have to get in and get out. I already feel bad that I caused them so much trouble."

"Of course," he chuckled. "But it's not my problem if a couple humans get in the way—okay okay!" he said abruptly when Bella looked at him like she wanted to strangle him. "In and out. Promise." But then he had to smirk to himself, and that only put Bella on edge more.

Edward wouldn't cause any trouble with them though. He knew how she felt about them—especially the little girl, Blare, whose appearance was shockingly so similar to her own, just a younger version. She liked them, even if they were a bit hostile. Who wasn't at this day and age? You'd be crazy not to throw bullets into people with Bella's threatening tattoo.

"I'm going to make sure the coast is clear, you guys stay back for a bit," Edward said, looking over his shoulder. Everyone stopped in the middle of the road when he did and stared into the side of his face that was glowing from the night sky above them.

Then he locked eyes with Bella, as if warning her not to do anything stupid, but then turned and left them there alone, the house just a hundred meters down the road.

"Well that was weird," Austin said, pulling his toque off his head and kicking the dirt on the ground, readjusting it back on his head.

"Do we listen…?" Demetri looked over at Austin, and grinned when he did.

"I don't see what the big deal is," Austin said, shrugging and moving forward, looking back to see who was following. Demetri had taken one step, and then stopped, making Austin stop as well. "Come on. This is stupid," Austin said, almost pleading with them.

Bella chuckled. "No way. Edward's testing me. I'm not moving an inch from here until he says so. Even if it kills me," Bella said, crossing her arms to show her intentions.

Demetri looked over his shoulder at Austin, who was backing up slowly, showing him that he still wanted to get a move on. Demetri didn't like being the bitch in the passenger side of the plan, that's why he went along with Austin and ran down the street, leaving Bella to choke on their dust.

"Unbelievable." Bella watched the two stupid boys run into the distance, just until they disappeared around the curve of the road, leaving her alone. She shook her head in disbelief. She wanted to be the one running in front of them, not the one being teacher's pet, doing "the right thing". _Ugh_, she'd better get major brownie points for acting like a good little hybrid.

She drummed her fingers on the top of her arm, her eyes set on the area she had last seen the boys run off to. Five minutes passed. Her patience was running out. In the distance, a low rhythm of something beating through the air caught her attention. But she told herself she wouldn't move. Not an inch—

**BANG! BANG! BANG!**

Bella flinched with every gunshot that came from the distance.

**BANG! BANG! BANG!**

There was no doubt whose gun those shots were coming from. Cecelia wasn't one for warning. Bella felt better then. Maybe a shot in the gut for both Austin and Demetri would serve them right for being hot heads.

But something was off after those shots, because in the distance, the quiet night was being interrupted by a pounding of blades through air—Bella saw the owner of the thunderous noise, just over the tree line. That's when she was suddenly lit up by a spot light emitting from a Helicopter, her head craning up to the sound of the chopper, which was now angled in her direction.

She was the target.

Her training days came flooding back to her then—what to do in fight or flight situations, how to use your adrenaline for speed, how to out run an intruder—but instead of picking either one of the options, she chose the forbidden one: _hesitation._ She hesitated! With all the adrenaline rushing through her body, it was practically impossible for her to stand by and _watch_ her impending doom. But it was happening to Bella, and for some _god damn reason_, she was watching the helicopter come to a hover over top of her, where her eyes squinted from the bright spotlight lighting her up.

Her head was blank. She was just too interested in what this helicopter's intentions were. Shoot her? She was a hybrid. Throw a net down on her? The wind coming off the blades was too strong. As long as the chopper was in the air, she felt fine. That's why she chose to stare up into the light, unmoved by The Guard's close proximity. She just wanted to dangle herself in front of them, and the consequences of possibly getting hurt were nonexistent.

Lucky for her, a voice of reason came to the rescue—not her own of course, nor was it a voice at all, but the truck speeding around the corner, filled with screaming voices, telling her to smarten up. This time the added light coming off the headlights of the truck snapped her out of her bait routine, helping her choose the flight option in the moment. She had her intentions on the forest—to get out of sight as quickly as possible— but just as she stepped out of the spotlight and jumped over the ditch separating the road from the trees, the helicopter door slid open, allowing space for a single rifle to pinpoint Bella's back, and shoot in one fluent motion.

In slow motion, Bella took the hit like a deer, her jump propelling her into the air, and the impact of the shot throwing her head under feet. She didn't even feel the pain then, her mind too concentrated on landing—which she did quite awkwardly, in a pile of broken down brush. She rolled immediately, throwing herself up out of the ditch and into the woods before the helicopter could put its spotlight on her again. But, luckily, just as she hid herself behind the forest wall, the helicopter gave up and lifted away, the sound of the choppers blades becoming more distant.

They retreated. Bella didn't question it.

She would have been elated if she wasn't so out of breath from her quick thinking—well, quick enough thinking—or if the truck the boys were driving hadn't just passed her, slowing down twenty-five meters down the road, looking for her.

"Bella!" Demetri screamed, opening the driver side door and stepping out, his hands in his hair.

Bella would have smiled if she could, but she was too out of breath and high on the rush to even scream back to him. _Let him worry_, she thought to herself. She moved into a kneeling position and felt it then—the pinch of something digging into the blade of her right shoulder blade. It was just another addition to her collection though, and that's why it didn't bother her too much. She slowly stood, keeping her arm close to her side, and slid down into the ditch, the noise of her body crashing into the dry brush letting her location be known to the three boys screaming her name.

She had only climbed up onto the street and taken two steps when Edward jumped out of the bed of the truck, the glow of the moon showing his scared and angry eyes, even from so far away. She looked away from him and walked slowly back to the truck, taking her time, because she knew what was coming.

"What were you thinking?" Edward growled. Bella was prepared for the yelling and screaming, but she wasn't prepared for it to be directed at someone besides herself for once. She looked up and saw that Edward wasn't even paying attention to her anymore, and had shoved Demetri.

Demetri of course shoved him back. "You're not the boss of me! While you were off getting shot at, we did something useful and got the truck. It's not our fault Bella acted like a deer caught in the headlights."

Edward actually let Demetri finish his sentence before he punched him square in the jaw, the snap of his face smacking into the fist the only audible sound. Demetri slowly turned his head back to Edward, taking deep breaths as he calmed himself down to a listening bystander.

Bella wanted to point and laugh at Demetri. He was the one in trouble. Not her. It was so different.

Then she wasn't standing there alone anymore. Edward was standing in front of her, five feet away, his head down, but his eyes looking up to find hers. It was the look of a guilty convict, and that's what made Bella feel okay. If he felt bad for leaving her behind, that's all she needed to forgive him.

"I stayed there the whole time," she said, a smirk making its way on her face. The light hearted look on her face allowed him to see she was okay, and he took advantage of it by closing the distance between them in three agonizingly slow steps.

When he wrapped his arms around her, he exhaled, finally feeling the relief flood him. But he wasn't done with his rant. Demetri and Austin weren't the only ones in the wrong…

Bella felt his hands snake from around her waist and find her hips, starting to push her away from him. She couldn't use her bad arm to keep her encased in him, so she kept her face hidden in his canvas jacket, the smile on her face trying to stay hidden.

"You're not getting out of this one Bella," Edward said lowly when Bella wouldn't allow any space to come between them. He changed his tactics and pressed her body back into his, holding her loosely, but only to make her listen. "I saw the whole thing."

Bella closed her eyes and cursed in her head. She didn't know the answer to that. It was just her instinct. She knew who could possibly be driving that chopper, and the sight of her alive and well would have ticked _him_ off—Edward's hand found the wound in her shoulder, and that's when the curse in her head came audible for all to hear.

"Eventually one of _these_ is going to be a kill shot. You can't run from death forever…of course you'll probably stop and watch it again," he said smartly, pulling away from her. She didn't look into his eyes, but when she felt his hand lightly skim the skin of her lips, she looked up to find his eyes fixed on hers. His forehead on hers stopped her from going anywhere, frozen from his close proximity. "If you do anything like that again…" he hesitated and then stepped away from her, sighing. "I'll kill you myself." His eyes blank and mouth smooth made her wonder if he was even kidding. She didn't ask. He took a step away from her and then turned, heading back to the truck where the two boys waited.

She followed behind, her moment of throwing it all back in Demetri's face long gone. Demetri glared at her when Edward shoved passed him, claiming the driver's side, Austin swiping shot gun before it could be called. That left Demetri and Bella with the bed of the truck.

"After you," Bella said, showing the view of the truck with her hands.

"I don't make the same mistake twice," Demetri said, nodding towards the truck. "After _you_."

Bella moved for the back of the truck reluctantly, and even though Demetri said _after you, _he jumped in and held out his hand to stick it to her. Bella took it, just to stick it to him, allowing him to lift her over the hatch of the truck, letting her fall onto her knees.

Bella chuckled. "Oww…" she lifted her gaze up to Demetri's when the truck started and moved into a U-turn. "You're a dick."

"You're still a prick," he said back, propping his back against the opposite side of the truck from her. "I don't know what goes through your mind when you do shit like this," he said, shaking his head but not looking at her.

"I'm fine though, so it's all good."

Demetri laughed. "You better hope that's _just_ a bullet in your shoulder."

Bella felt the lump in her throat forming from that comment. She didn't have to ask what he meant. She knew what he was saying. She threw up her hoodie to avoid his gaze when he turned to cock an eyebrow at her. She hated knowing a minor incident had probably escalated into something much greater because of her foolishness. She pulled her hands into the pocket of her hoodie, looking for comfort, but unlike the times before where her hands connected together in the emptiness, cool metal fell into her right hand.

The lighter.

Her eyes flew up to the back window of the truck, where inside the cab, the rear view mirror was reflecting back two dark eyes, watching her reaction to the lighter he had gotten back for her.

Bella gripped the lighter tighter than humanly possible, the only way she knew how to hold back the emotions coming up out of her heart. She swallowed hard and looked away, finding solace in the road behind her and the cool metal in her hand.

_Damn him._

_**-x-**_

**A/N: **I live on the east coast of Canada, and that's where Hurricane Earl hit on Saturday morning. We just got our power back a few hours ago, so I decided to put the chapter up. It will be the last chapter for awhile because I am starting back to school next week. I do already have a few pages for the next chapter written, so maybe I will post shorter chapters like this one every so often instead of longer ones. Thank you for reading. Review if you can.

**Song: A Minor Incident by Badly Drawn Boy**


	26. Speeding Cars

**Disclaimer:** Stephenie Meyer owns everything because she is like God, except not as great.

**Recap: **Bella, Austin, and Demetri are told to wait on the road while Edward goes and steals a truck for them at Cecelia's. Bella is the only one who stays, and stays long enough to get shot at by Guard members traveling in a helicopter. After Demetri warns her about the bullets probably not being _just_ bullets, she sits alongside him in the bed of the truck, clutching the lighter Edward slipped into her hoodie. Mean while, Jude and Whitney have been removed by Derek from their dungeon and taken away in a truck with two other hybrids. (I recommend you go and re-read the last chapter, because like you know, _it's been awhile_.)

**Chapter 26: Speeding Cars**

_"I _know_ you think it's more than _just_ bad luck…"-_Imogen Heap

**-x-**

_**Kingman, Arizona, 1am.**_

No one wanted to say it out loud…but something was most definitely giving away the truck's location every time it would duck under the tree line. And of course, even though Edward, Demetri and Austin had an idea what or more importantly _who_ was causing the give away, they kept their mouths shut and tried to flee from their pursuers.

Edward insisted on driving, but no matter where he parked the truck to duck out of view, five minutes later choppers would be in the distance headed towards them. It was frustrating to not be able to get his crew in a safe area. He thought that meant he wasn't a leader, and that's why he slammed his hands down on the steering wheel in defeat, stopping the truck under a canopy of trees. No one said anything to him as he stared into space through the cracked windshield. He didn't know what to do. No one did.

Beside Edward, Austin was just as irritated. His mind was revealing the truth of their defeat, which was something Edward most definitely didn't need reminding on. As the hybrid beside the vampire thought of all the reasons why this trip wasn't going according to plan, Edward tilted his head back on the headrest and gazed at Austin out of the corner of his eye. When Austin felt the threatening burn, he looked at Edward for only a second and cleared his mind from his complaining. Edward wasn't in the clear yet of distractions. Just as he was about to take another trip down the road for a way to the highway, Demetri tapped the window behind him in a hurried, irritating fashion, causing Edward to pinch the bridge of his nose while the sound played on and on. "What!" Edward finally shouted through the blades of the chopper headed in their direction.

"Jones can do the extractions you know—" But Demetri's suggestion was cut short by a kick to the hamstring from the hybrid sharing the bed of the truck with him, causing him to twist around and curse at the glaring girl. "Hello! You're the cause of all of this bullshit! You're all in denial, and I'm not going down if I can help it," Demetri screamed at the girl. He waited for a reaction from anyone who wanted to interfere next, but his team had seen enough for the day, and it was barely even morning. They were jaded and couldn't be bothered to listen. He tried again. "Those bullets buried deep beneath your flesh are ticking time bombs. You're going to be the death of us. Do you want that on your stupid little shoulders?"

Edward's eyes flashed to the rear view mirror when he felt the atmosphere turn a darker shade of black, where beside him, Austin sunk low into his seat to watch from the side mirror. They both noticed the flicker of heat behind Bella's eyes, something Demetri was very good at lighting.

"Maybe we can get him to do an extraction on you!" Bella finally yelled back at the vampire. "You'd _love_ that!" Her face fell quickly when the vampire laughed off the idea in mockery.

"Been there," Demetri said smoothly, standing up in a fluent motion to come an inch from her face, "_done that_." He had been the humpty-dumpty of testing, and that's why he could look at Bella with such a proud smirk. Bella _hated_ that smirk. She wasn't alone with that thought.

Austin couldn't watch any more of the constant back and forth fights between the bickering couple. "Shut up and sit down—they're coming back!" he yelled, trying and failing to get any attention from either Bella or Demetri. By now, if he had been on his own, maybe Jude wouldn't be lost. The whole divide and conquer had blown up in the Resistance's face—

"You can get out right now if you're so confident," Edward said, unlocking the truck doors. Austin stared forward, knowing it was a lost cause. "That's what I thought," Edward finished. Maybe Austin would have commented back if there hadn't have been further disturbances in the bed of the truck, where both Bella and Demetri were locked in a staring contest, inches away from the other.

Edward let out a gust of air, whereas Austin shook his head. "You have got to be kidding me," he said under his breath with obvious exhaustion.

But the fighting duo most certainly weren't. They hadn't even started.

Demetri's face was taunting for an attack. "I dare you Bella—"

"Dare me what _Demetri_!" Bella yelled, shoving the vampire just as his name slipped out of her lips. And the rest was history, like they say…

Demetri punched Bella square in the jaw, causing the not so tough hybrid to fall against the cab before she dodged his second hit. It was her chance to catch Demetri off sync, so she let her elbow fly up into his lip, causing his head to snap back before she kicked his feet out from under him. Bella then pounced on what she thought was the opportune moment, but Demetri was only playing victim; the moment her body touched his, he flipped her off him, sending her up and out of the bed of the truck.

Bella landed on her back on the hard ground with the air knocked out of her immediately. It reminded her of her childhood days where trees did just the same thing to her. But trees didn't laugh like Demetri was—nor was there a vampire to retaliate for the battles she couldn't win.

Edward punched the top of the steering wheel one more time before chucking the driver-side door open, taking his time to the back of the truck where Bella had flipped onto her stomach and was cursing into the ground. Above her, Demetri overlooked the scene with a sense of accomplishment. The grin on his face lasted only until he noticed Edward leaning on the side of the truck, staring up at him with a blank, unimpressed look.

Edward tilted his head to the side when Demetri kept his gaze just as squarely on his, forcing him to look away and cover the back of his neck with the palm of his hand to wait for an explanation. While he waited for anyone to speak, he thought about how ridiculous this mission was. He didn't know what to do. _Edward Cullen_ didn't know what to do anymore. The world was a blank slate, and with too many options and too many people wanting to go in every direction, he didn't know where he stood at the moment. If he couldn't even control two moody ex-guard members, what was he supposed to do when he would come face to face with the real deal? He was doomed.

The complaining hybrid brought him back to reality, just like she had the night of the explosion in what felt like years ago.

"I'm fine," she coughed dramatically, rolling over onto her back. She still had that ignorant edge to her too, reminding Edward why he hadn't taken a liking to her from the very start. She was a roller coaster, and he would forever be along for the ride. "No one make a deal over me," she continued, wiping the dirt from her stomach. Edward didn't comment on the sarcasm in her voice. It was just a given.

"Oooh does the little hybrid want someone to fight her own battles for her?" Demetri asked Bella in a childish tone, the best way to get on someone's bad side. Bella held in any words that would only make her sound more ridiculous, but Demetri wanted to continue the child's play. He jumped from the truck and meant to go and kick her playfully near her shoe, but just as the idea came over him, Edward stepped over Bella and crossed his arms, giving Demetri no room to move. Demetri shook his head, allowing a grin to show the ridiculousness of the situation. "You're so _noble_—I can't take it."

"_Go punch a girl_…" Austin sang in a light voice, his head still straight ahead in the cab of the truck.

Demetri spun and caught a glimpse of Austin in the side mirrors, then spun back to accuse Edward instead. "That's all you guys see her as too. _A girl_. That's a bigger insult than getting the shit beat out of you," he said. He then leaned over Bella, where she leaned up onto her elbows to get the full effect. "Which is what just happened if you're wondering." He looked back up at Edward. "You don't know a thing about her and that's what will kill us in the end."

_That_ was enough for the hybrid. There was no need to start talking about the past.

Bella popped up like a flower in May, climbing back into the bed of the truck after side swiping him his shoulder with her own. Demetri didn't retaliate. He knew the soft grounds he was walking in—he knew he could betray her if he wanted to by having a loose lip.

He just danced around the subject instead. "No one knows how capable that _girl_ is," Demetri continued, pointing a very accusing finger right at the wide eyed, so called capable _girl_. He dropped his hand when Edward walked away from him and got back into the truck. Demetri stared at Bella until she gave him a look that told him to drop it. He sighed. "_You_ don't even know how capable you are," he said in defeat, shaking his head and getting back into the truck.

Bella stared at the floor of the truck to keep her attention away from the asshole across from her. She didn't care what he said. She just didn't want him thinking that she did.

But Demetri still thought he had to get the last word in. "You're just so stupid—" Bella stopped him.

"Thank you Demetri. No one cares." Bella's voice started with a hiss and ended the conversation with a bang.

So maybe she did care after all.

-x-

Edward turned down an abandoned looking road to give their escape one more go. It was getting tiresome trying to sneak out of the small town, and probably useless considering the cause of their locations being found so quickly was sitting in the back of the truck, chilling like a clam.

"We'll be almost of out of Arizona if we find a useable highway. We can meet up with the other branch again before we get Jude. That _is_ the plan, right?" Demetri said to anyone who wanted to listen.

No one was though. It was just him and the full moon.

In the back, Bella was fiddling with the lighter inside her pocket, the very one Edward had slipped into her pocket a few hours ago. She didn't know how or why he did it, but just like the hoodie from Demetri, it meant something to know she was being thought of. Like Demetri said, Edward may not know much about her, but he sure paid attention.

But instead of thanking Edward, she stared at the dark road, watching the trees fly by until her eyes became so heavy that they fluttered closed. She tried to sleep. But finding rest was proving to be difficult in a bumpy bed of a truck. Time ticked on, and after ten minutes, her eyes only felt heavy instead of tired. Sleep was just around the corner, but it wouldn't come to her.

Something else did.

Just as the truck rounded a bend in the road, a figure came out of nowhere, causing Edward to swerve the truck. But his initial reaction wasn't quick enough, and instead of missing the figure, the truck slammed right into it, the metal crushing around the body instead of crushing the body.

Demetri had seen it coming. He was ready for the impact, and found a spot to jam himself in the bed of the truck, but Bella's semi-unconscious state had no idea and was lifted up over the cab of the truck, smashing into the windshield, and onto the hood of the truck.

A rifle was at her throat even before she could blink. It shined in the moonlight cast over the dramatic scene.

"No one moves from the truck or I blow her to pieces," Cecilia said clearly, her tone warning them she wasn't kidding. Edward stared forward, his eyes shocked like Austin's.

Bella stayed completely still with her back pressed into the dent of the hood, one leg dangling over a headlight and the other bent to keep her in place. Her arms were flat on the truck, bracing herself. Even in the dark, she could still see everything quite clearly.

"You couldn't keep quiet could you? Now they've got Blare!" Cecilia shoved the rifle deeper into Bella's throat, making Bella arch her back to try and get some space to breathe. Edward had his hand on the handle of the door, ready to open it, but Cecilia wasn't stupid. "Don't move an inch! I swear I'll do it!" She cocked the gun, readying the bullet to fly through the barrel.

Bella held up a hand, her only defence. "You can't kill me, and even if you could, you can't because you need me to get her back," Bella said, inching her way up until she was sitting on the cracked windshield where Edward and Austin could only watch. "I'm the _key to everything_."

"You're with them! You lied to us!" she yelled, her rage for losing Blare and being betrayed fuelling her motives to take Bella out.

Bella hesitated, but cocked an eyebrow at her, finding her argument. "Well Cecelia, you lied to us to…you weren't exactly so forth coming about your _situation_," Bella said, referring to the fact that she wasn't as human as they had thought. "You're a hybrid, and maybe that's why they're in the area. We're _all_ targets."

Cecelia shook her head, the tears in her eyes beginning to pour. She looked like a crazy lady who had just broken out of an asylum, the blood dripping down her forehead adding to the effect. There was no telling what she would do. "They're tracking you, and if I don't kill you, they'll come back for me!"

Bella chuckled, an attempt to hide the truth. "Tracking me…that's _crazy_ talk." But Bella regretted those words the moment they left her mouth. If she knew anything, it was not to call a crazy person, crazy.

Everything seemed to happen in a blur next. Bella closed her eyes, preparing for the blow that Cecilia promised. But Edward was quick; he slammed his foot onto the gas the moment Cecelia decided Bella wasn't useful. The truck drove over Cecelia's unprepared body, the tires crushing her and leaving her in the middle of the dark street. Edward kept his foot on the gas, taking the truck down the street and out of sight, Bella staying planted on the windshield with her arms braced beside her body.

"Are you going to stop?" Bella yelled, looking through the glass at Edward, whose eyes wouldn't even look at her.

Demetri actually offered a hand to her, dragging her body up over the cab and into the bed of the truck, her body landing with a loud thump. Edward still wasn't slowing down.

"What's the rush?" Bella said, adjusting herself to hold onto the side of the truck. "She's not a vampire. She's going to be on that street for awhile."

Demetri shook his head. "He's not worried about her anymore. It's what she said—the tracking…"

And then Bella heard it—the pounding of chopper blades in the distance. It wasn't a sure sign that they were tracking them…but it was definitely evidence now.

Bella groaned. "Oh great."

She knew she couldn't avoid the topic of extractions now.

-x-

**Just south of_ Henderson, Nevada. 2am._**

Derek stared at his little sister. She looked dead the way she was slouched in between two of the three hybrids, already fast asleep.

They were still in the outskirts of Nevada, the farthest south they could get, and quite a dangerous area for people to travel. The Guard roamed freely all across the state, protecting its one city that held the key to their survival in the apocalypse. The dark truck Derek and his fellow rebels drove was an eye sore, especially while the sun was down, meaning more patrols were keep watch.

"We're almost to our destination. No one talks, but everyone will listen."

The three hybrids nodded but kept their eye on Derek. They seemed to be cautious of his interest in the sleeping girl between them. Derek thought of them as her protectors, because god knows, she needed someone looking out for her. Once upon a time that used to be his job; he'd stay up all night just to make sure her window didn't open and her body stayed within four walls. That time seemed so long ago. He had thrown away a loving family, and now all he had was the vulnerable being left in front of him with a wall of destruction around her.

Whitney was nervous around Derek. She didn't understand his apparent fascination with Jude. She noticed that he seemed to watch her with an angry eye, and that every time a bump in the road would move her, his head would snap in her direction, as if he was aware of how breakable she _really_ was. Whitney also planned on finding out how Jude knew the vampire's name. Had she heard it in passing and wanted to put him down to her level, or was there a history? She wanted to know. She had been trapped as a co-operator in the back of the truck for over five hours now, driving on the same highway that only drove through dried up sand and mountains in the distance. It was frustrating to see so much hopeless, blank ground, and she was about to lose sight of a chance of getting out until pylons started to show up every couple miles or so. It was proof of civilization, and that meant a chance at freedom to her. Whitney wasn't exactly sure which side of Nevada they were on now, or even if they were still in it, but she just pushed that thought to the back of her mind. Location didn't matter; situation did, and Whitney's wasn't exactly ideal at the moment.

"Now's the time to start listening." Derek tried to make his voice as intimidating as possible. They still weren't in the clear yet. They were still in range of tracking and audio surveillance, he knew. The safe house wasn't anywhere near their current location, but he needed to start informing them of their duties in order to remain inconspicuous. Derek stared at the approaching truck stop with determined eyes, and hoping his sister wouldn't ruin her chances at freedom. "We're stopping up ahead, about a mile and a half away. Just need to fill up the tank and check things out—" he could have died when one of the stupid hybrids cut him off.

"There's no gasoline there you liar. I'm done playing your games," he said, standing up to make a break for it. The vampire driving the truck quickly braked in order to calm the situation, but the hybrid only exited the truck quicker and tried his hand at running. The two vampires from the cab followed after him, one pining him to the ground to grab his wrists, the other grabbing his feet to carry him back. But the male was incredibly determined, and for a hybrid, that meant strength. The vampires could barely keep a hold on him as he wrangled and thrashed his limbs from side to side—the perfect diversion for the female hybrid beside Whitney to exit the truck as well, choosing to run in the opposite direction.

"Shit!" Derek yelled out after her, looking at Whitney with pleading eyes. "Please don't move. It'd be the last foolish mistake of your life—" he jumped from the truck and began his chase before he could elaborate. Now all three vampires were all wrangling hybrids, leaving two bodies unprotected in the bed of the truck.

That's when Jude popped up like a daisy, acting as if she had never been asleep at all. "Here's our chance—cover my ass," she said just as she jumped to her feet and threw herself through the small, back window. Whitney turned her head just as Jude hit the gas, the momentum sliding her body tight against the back of the truck.

Whitney righted herself and looked behind the speeding truck towards the flying dirt cloud, where one of the vampire's had started chasing and given up just as the other two hybrids started making more trouble for them. Only one vampire stood in a stand still, his hands on his head in defeat. Whitney grinned. "You crazy human did it!" she yelled, climbing into the cab to join her friend. Jude had a just as glorious grin on her face, her eyes barely visible from the skin scrunching together from giddiness. "Don't feel bad about the other two—"

"Oh I don't. They ditched us first. They can fend for themselves for all I care. They're no members of the _Resistance_."

Whitney lit up then. "Jude, we can find a branch of the Resistance and tell them about what we saw. We can be _heroes_."

Jude liked the sound of that. For once, she had finally proven herself. Jude turned on the music player that blasted something she didn't recognize, but it was good enough to turn up and scream in laughter at.

Whitney laughed too. "And look at them Jude! They're just a bunch of bums in the sand now!" she yelled, staring at her captors in her side mirror. But when Jude glanced up into her rear view mirror, she wasn't expecting what she saw.

Derek watched the miles separate them with his hands on his head, doing nothing about the other fleeing hybrids anymore, just concerned with her retreat. He looked like a concerned brother—the type that looked out for his younger sister and didn't let in harms way.

Something was the matter, she knew. His last words suddenly came up and bit her. _It'd be the last foolish mistake of your life, _he had said. What had been an after thought, then, now rang and rang and rang in her ears, warning her.

Whitney was there to pull Jude out of doing anything rash. "We're free!" she yelled, turning up the music even louder.

And for once, the music was loud enough to drown out any potential second thoughts on the human's wrong decision.

Unlucky for them.

-x-

_**Highway 93. Just North of Kingman. 2am. **_

Once they hit the highway, the helicopter retreated.

"That's right!" Demetri yelled into the sky, giving the back end of the chopper two middle fingers through the darkness.

Bella held on tightly to the side of the truck while Edward drove so fast that a smoke of sand flew up behind the truck. "See," Bella said, making sure to stare right at Demetri with the same mocking smirk he had given her earlier. "I'm clean after all".

Demetri leaned back too comfortably, placing his hand on his knee. "Nope. They most likely ran out of gas."

Bella shook her head. "Whatever, you can't know that."

"Well, only time will tell," he said smiling, making her feel like a damn fool again.

"You're a fucking asshole."

"I know Bella. But we'll get over it. We always do."

"Yeah okay," she said sarcastically.

She knew it was true, though.

**-x-**

While Derek watched his sister drive off, he had never felt so much defeat. He had failed at keeping her safe. Now she was running, where he could have provided her with a stable and safe location—stable enough, anyway.

He had nothing left to do but stare after her, the rest of the mission shot to shit without the one human girl he would do anything for, just because he hadn't in the past. His fellow rebel vampires watched in awe too after releasing their hybrids after Derek's instructions to.

"If they want to die, let them," he informed them. "You can't offer help to those who don't want it." If he had of known that before, maybe this wouldn't have happened. Being straight forward would have prevented missed communication and lies, which in the end, still put Jude somewhere he couldn't watch over her. Instead of being behind four walls, she had escaped out the window, just like old times. For that, he had to hand it to her—she was keen.

"What now?"

Derek covered his face with his hands and only allowed himself one full groan before he pulled them away and looked at the situation optimistically. "Well, we know where the safe house is. We can go there and warn them of possible strays in the area, and in the mean time, we can radio the branches about Jude, asking them to keep a look out for her."

"Jude?" the vampire asked with a puzzled look.

Derek ignored him and pulled out a radio walkie. He turned it on and began speaking into it with an authoritative tone, first giving his location and then telling his situation with Jude, informing members to keep an eye out for her. Then Derek stared at his fellow rebels, lost for words, knowing they would have to start all over again. But the way his friends stared at him with worried eyes told him they knew something had changed him.

Derek's eyes seemed to grow dark with regret, but he admitted his secret anyway. "Jude was the dark haired girl. She's also my little sister." His voice stumbled next for the right words. "And she's going to get herself killed one of these days."

And even though Derek didn't know it then, he was pretty dead on.

**-x-**

When the dry dirt beneath the tires turned to old, cracking, dull pavement, and the mountains looked more round and muddy than jagged and fresh against the stars, both Bella and Edward's gazes met in the rear view mirror.

Somewhere on a highway similar to the one they were traveling on, once upon a time, a Volvo had been sidetracked by an explosion. And like they say, the rest was history. And now, history was in the making as the two realized that they had come full circle, especially with their relationship. It was like they loathed each other—when did that happen? Maybe somewhere between Bella following the rules and Edward losing some of his control, the duo had become solos and lost their capability to even have a civilized conversation with the other. Now they were on the outskirts with each other again, quite literally, letting unsaid things get between them.

And of course, Demetri was one of those unsaid things. "I think we'd better hurry up and find a Resistance camp with a medical team. I'm getting the feeling that someone will be onto us soon as long as we have the ticking time bomb over here," Demetri yelled into the open back window to Edward.

Bella released her gaze on Edward and placed it on Demetri. "Stop saying it like that. I'm perfectly fine." But that lie was stretching it. Every move Bella made, their was grinding against her ribs, acting as reminders to her mistakes.

"Yeah. _Fine with giving us all up_, maybe. They'll kill everyone else. But with you and me, _traitors_ to our own group, man, I don't even want to know what they'll do. _Especially to you_…"

Bella wanted to plug her ears, but his blunt words had already been heard. As much as she wanted to deny it, they were all true. She would get the worst of it if the Guard ever got a hold on her…that's why she wasn't really sure why she was making such a huge deal on finding Jude. It was the most dangerous thing she could do. Maybe that was reason enough.

"I think we're headed south. Alice will see us and see that we need a doctor. It will be fine."

It wasn't fine though in Bella's head. Because even though she tried picturing Carlisle as being the doctor Edward thought of, she had a feeling who the doctor really was.

"Austin, see if there's a map in the glove compartment. We need to figure out where the hell we are," Edward said, keeping his eyes forward as one hybrid behind him stared at the back of his head, and the one beside him rolled his eyes. Austin reluctantly obeyed though, opening the compartment with a bit of aggression. Inside, there weren't any maps. There was something better.

"A walkie talkie!" Austin said in shock, grabbing the device and holding it up for all to see. Behind him, Bella and Demetri fought to have their heads both poked through the cabin hole, where as Edward slowed down and grabbed the device from Austin, turning it on just as the end of a message played through channel 4.2.

"_Keep an eye out for a few strays, one in particular girl with dark hair, light eyes, and answers to Jude. She's traveling with a blonde girl in a ford truck, and both are considered harmless. If you see either, let the base know. Over_."

It took a few moments to register that the muffled voice was talking about the very girl they had been searching for. Luckily, Austin grabbed the device from Edward and spoke as quickly as he could into the speaker before the other end signed off.

"We know Jude! You've seen her?" Austin screamed into the walkie, causing it to screech back with static.

Edward grabbed the walkie back from him just as the person on the other end answered back. _"What R. base is this?" _the voice asked, but when no one knew what to say into the walkie he quickly continued. "_I'm her brother,"_ the voice informed them. Everyone stared at the walkie like it had just come alive. Shock took away any breathing, and everything was silent. Edward was the most shocked because Jude had never mentioned family to him. The muffled voice continued talking._ "Unfortunately, we got separated—what's your location?"_

Edward looked to his fellow members of the truck and shrugged, not knowing what to tell him. Bella grabbed the walkie. "We're traveling by truck, and it looks like we're on the back road of the old 40, headed West just past Kingman."

The voice quickly responded. _"I'm near there. If you continue to head Northwest, you'll hit Henderson, which is where I am. I can show you guys to a safe house for supplies and food, and maybe someone will have seen Jude."_

Bella looked at Edward, but he was still too stunned to give advice. The knowledge of Jude gave them all hope and fear in their stomachs. Bella handed the walkie to Demetri, who took it and spoke into it clearly. "OKay. But just we're not ones for bullshit." Bella punched Demetri in his shoulder, he hit her back, and when she went to slap him, Edward grabbed her wrist and held it as the voice on the other end of the walkie chuckled and said _Roger that. _

Bella pulled her hand away Edward and collapsed back into the bed of the truck, where the stars questioned the truck's next move.

_**1 hour later.**_

"He's probably full of it," Demetri said from a spot between Austin and Edward. He had moved into the cab when he couldn't stand being left out of the planning anymore. Now all three boys sat shoulder to shoulder, where Bella laid out in the back with as much leg room as she wanted.

"Who cares. It's better than being completely lost," Austin argued back.

"We weren't lost. We just didn't know for sure if we were in the right area," Edward informed him. He knew he was on the 93. Well, Bella knew they were on the 93, and he trusted that.

"That's the same as being lost," Demetri said, laughing after.

"No it's not," Edward said in defence. But he had forgotten what his point even was. Lucky for him, something, more importantly _someone_, had appeared in the distance, not too far away.

"That our guy?" Demetri asked, nodding to the lone figure on the road that was walking straight towards the truck about a half mile away. From the distance, the truck's headlights lit up his combat boots and military style clothing, something that sent signals rather than relief.

After a driving a few more yards, Edward slowed the car to a stop, forcing the drowsy hybrid in the back to sit up and finally join the conversation. "What's going on?" she asked.

Demetri chuckled. "That is," he said, pointing towards the figure in the distance who was now quite visible. Even though the figure said he was Jude's brother, Demetri didn't trust him already. The whole situation was too shady.

"How do we know if it's him?" Bella asked, standing up to get a better look at the figure. "Kind of dangerous, don't you think?"

But after gazing down the dark road and watching the tall, strong male figure approach, she was eating her words.

She couldn't _believe _her eyes.

-x-

After receiving the message out of nowhere about his sister, and sending his fellow vampire rebels back to the head quarters of the guard to keep up appearances, Derek was feeling hopeful.

He hadn't expected the message over the walkie. It was a blessing from god. And then sure enough, after an hour and talking back and forth with his new walkie friends, a truck was headed towards him.

He understood their questioning stop. He would do the same thing in their situation if an outsider was approaching. But the thing that blindsided him was the girl standing up in the bed of the truck, staring over the cab, her eyes turning from pierced to wide after a few small seconds.

Derek froze.

Never in a million years could he have guessed that the hybrid he thought he had already seen the end of would be the answer to his call. But there she was, just as shocked, and most definitely _alive_.

Small world.

**-x-**

**A/N:** Hello everyone! It's been a long four/five months! BUT IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK! Well, you know the deal; spelling will be corrected in a bit when I get a second chance to re-read it, and a recap will probably be posted at the end of this note later on for people who speed read (cause who likes long chapters anyway….ahaha).

**THANK YOU FOR STICKING WITH IT. I APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE REVIEW, PM, and FAV I'VE BEEN GETTING OVER THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS. SERIOUSLY.**

For those that care, I've been at university. I absolutely hate it. But who doesn't, so enough said. Leave me a comment/review letting me know what you've been up to, and tell me what you think of the chapter.

**PEACE.**

**Song: Speeding Cars by Imogen Heap**

**x)**


	27. Somebody That I Used To Know

**A/N:** Hello. I don't know what to say...I don't have a reason for not updating. I just don't have a thing for Twilight at all but this story isn't Twilight so I realized you might want to still read it. I was cleaning out my laptop and found this chapter. I figured I'd upload it since there are one or two of you that have wanted it. So I figured it couldn't hurt. So here it is.

**Disclaimer:** I borrowed the characters from Twilight. If they want to go back after their done this adventure, they can. But I doubt they'll want to.

**Chapter 27: Somebody That I Used to Know**

"You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness  
Like resignation to the end, always the end  
So when we found that we could not make sense  
Well you said that we would still be friends  
But I'll admit that I was glad it was over" -GOTYE

**-x-**

_**Henderson, Nevada. 4am.**_

Even though the map was old, the roads still connected where they were supposed to connect, and highway 93 brought the Ford truck to an idling position about 100 yards from its destination—a lonely vampire.

But under the dark sky of the early morning, the figure wearing combat boots and a dark jacket looked like any other faceless stranger wandering the barren roads of the post-apocalyptic age. At least that's what Edward thought as he stared at the twenty-something-year-old loner, someone who almost looked like a common human, even though he was far from it.

Bella didn't notice when Edward slowed the truck down at first. She was overtired and restless, cranky from the lack of sleep and even crankier from the painful bullets rubbing against her ribs. It was one of those moments when she knew that she was doomed. Doomed for pain if she let the bullets be extracted, and doomed for pain if she didn't let them be extracted. Of course, one was worse than the other, but it was difficult to concentrate on which one was worse with all the noise coming from the cab of the truck. The boys were fighting. Over stupid things too. Like the speed of the truck. Whether to keep the headlights on or not. Whether to mention Bella's wounds or not.

That last one pissed her off. She was no ones business. She could take care of herself, and that's why she was about to tell them to shut up—to back off—when the boys suddenly grew quiet. The world was silent. The sky was breathing.

Bella had been staring at the stars when the truck stopped. She didn't know why they had stopped moving—they couldn't be there yet. She looked over her shoulder and peered into the small window between herself and the boys in the cab. Edward had his fists tight around the wheel. He hadn't let anyone drive for hours. Demetri was sitting beside him. He was sitting way too straight. Austin was in the passenger side, cupping the back of his neck with his hand.

"What's going on?" Bella asked. It took a second for her to stand up because her body ached from lying on her back for so long. She used the cab to support some of her weight. Her body was really starting to ache and every little movement felt like the bullets were digging deeper and deeper. She should never have let them heal over and now she was dealing with the consequences. But she pushed her mind away from the pain for a second. Her mind was distracted by what was blocking their way down the road. It was dark but she could still see.

Way out, about fifty feet meters away, the end of the truck's headlights lit up a tall, dark figure. He was alone. Completely vulnerable. _A lot like me_, she thought. She didn't know why she thought that just then. She wasn't alone. Not really. But you didn't really need to be alone to feel it.

The scene was quiet. Everyone wanted to say something but nobody did. They couldn't because they didn't know what to say. Who would walk out first? Who would take the risk and introduce themselves? What would they say? What would they do? Everyone had these thoughts, expect it was Bella who finally said them out loud.

"How do we know if it's him?" she whispered. She couldn't see any of the boys' faces but she knew they could hear her. Everyone could hear everyone. "Kind of dangerous, don't you think?"

Bella didn't wait for an answer. Something happened before anyone could say anything.

It was a simple shift in the wind. An ordinary but overlooked thing. It came from the right of the truck, the direction of the mountains, and quickly blew Bella's hair across her face, hiding her view of the scene. Without really even thinking about it, Bella swiped her hair out of her eyes, just like she always did when her long hair got in her way. But, in that quick motion, between one second and another, the scene changed. No, it hadn't actually changed. The figure was still alone. He was still in the distance. He was still vulnerable. But to Bella…somehow…he looked…clearer. It was like he had stepped forward from out of the darkness, even though he hadn't taken a single step.

Why did she recognize the figure in the road? She couldn't decide where she had seen him, or why he was sending her back—way back—to a time that no longer existed. But the more she stared at him, the more she went back. And then she knew for sure. It was the way he was standing. He stood with a straight back. Straight like an arrow. Yet his shoulders were slouched. Slouched like someone who didn't care. Slouched like someone who no longer cared. Slouched like someone who never cared. Slouched like the boy from the hills who stared into nothing. And like the boy in the hills, his head was tilted to the right and slightly back. Confidence. Apprehension. Or plain exhaustion. Maybe all three.

She knew who it was. It was a boy from somewhere else. Another time and place, here for her, just like before.

Neither Edward, Demetri, or Austin knew or recognized the figure standing in the road. He looked how they expected him to look—like someone in the middle of nowhere. That's why none of them saw the revelation go on over their heads, or expected Bella's sudden reaction.

As soon as Bella realized she recognized the figure she didn't think about anything else. It was like she wasn't in control of her body—her emotions were taking over. Without warning, her body flew down the windshield, thumped onto the hood, and then disappeared below the headlights.

"Jesus Christ." Edward grabbed for the door.

Demetri grabbed Edward. "Wait," he said.

Edward saw what Demetri finally saw. The figure wasn't just some random. There was no such thing. It was something from Demetri's past—Bella's past, and not his. And when he looked away from Demetri, there was the proof right in front of him.

Running hug and everything.

**-x-**

She still had that bright aura about her. It was something he had never seen. Only this hybrid had it. And here she was. Running towards him. Like nothing had happened. Like the whole world hadn't disappeared. Like they were back in Ireland. Back to staring at stars.

Derek closed the last few feet. And then she was in his arms. Wrapped tightly there. Feet off the ground. Body crushing body. She inhaled and he felt it, and it was the first thing he felt in awhile. He closed his eyes and went back to every moment they had ever had, every moment that made it worth it to still be living. Their relationship had found itself again. It wasn't rare. But it was definitely special.

Derek spoke first. He pulled away from the hybrid and stared her dead in the eyes. "Well Bella…"

She laughed and then her gaze fell to the ground. She wanted to cry. She smiled to hold it back. But when he touched her arm she really lost it. Her shoulders shook and she had to take a step back. She needed room. Room to breathe. Room to think. Room to look at him. She looked at him through the tears. Through the darkness. Through it all—because that's what they had been through.

"'Well Bella what?" she asked finally, dragging her hand across her face to wipe away the tears. The old routine was easy to fall back into. It made her want to cry even more. She was alive because of him.

Derek shifted his footing. Straightened his shoulders. Like someone had suddenly gotten his attention or something. But they fell back down quickly, back to that comfortable place. And then he fell back into the banter from the past. "I was just going to comment…" he began, rubbing his jaw lazily. He paused, purposely dragging out the moment, and then said it. "You look different."

Bella choked. It sounded that way, anyway. She covered her mouth and closed her eyes, the tears falling down the sides of her cheeks.

Derek pulled her back into his arms and pressed his lips to her hair. He felt like his heart had been unlocked. He felt light. He felt free. He felt like a human. That's how Bella had always made him feel.

"I could say the same to you too," she said, looking up at her long lost comrade. "Where have those sad eyes of yours gone to?"

"I just found out my best friend was alive," he said. "What's your excuse?"

Bella smiled…because she had gotten her best friend back too. And for once, even though the old 93 highway was astonishingly long, the world was shockingly small. So it seemed.

**-x-**

"How does that taste in your mouth?"

Edward glared at Demetri. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Demetri pictured Derek and Bella. They were doing what they always did—running off. Demetri knew their intentions, but the way he painted it in his head for Edward made it look less platonic and more romantic.

"I know what you're doing."

Demetri shrugged. "You shouldn't be worrying about what I'm doing." He nodded at Bella and Derek, who were making their way back to the truck. They were side by side. "He's the guy that should be on your radar."

Edward glared through the windshield at the two former Guard members. They were making their way towards the truck, and neither of them could rip their eyes off the other. They were deep in conversation, and even though Edward couldn't see what Bella was thinking, he saw it all written on her face. She looked happy. Genuinely happy. Like she had been given something that no one could ever give her. And that was just great for Edward. Just great.

"Are you going to say hi or what?" Austin asked. "He's Jude's brother."

Edward shook his head but got out of the truck anyway. When he slammed the door, both Bella and Derek looked over at him.

Bella looked at the ground and then at Derek. Derek straightened his back.

Edward held out his hand. "I'm Edward."

Derek reached out and shook his hand. "I'm Jude's brother. Derek."

"She never mentioned you." Edward stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked at Bella. He didn't know which girl he was talking about. But he noticed Bella's glare. And that told him he wasn't in a good spot. Already. It had been two seconds of knowing the guy and Edward wasn't making a good impression. He didn't know what a good impression was though. It didn't matter. Because while Derek scanned his new comrades, Edward noticed the way his thoughts were laced with ecstasy—like someone in love.

"We have a lot to discuss." Bella nodded at the cab. "Of course," she said, pointing at Demetri. "You know him already." She looked at Derek, and he gave Demetri and unimpressed nod.

Edward noticed the way Derek immediately started thinking about all the times Demetri had gotten in his way. It was almost funny seeing the memories from the past, old grudges that weren't so old now. Edward thought he was the only one who didn't get along with other people. That wasn't the case apparently. Demetri had the same feelings for Derek. He hated him just as much.

"It's been awhile." Derek nodded at Austin. "Who's the other little guy?"

"That's Austin. You're sister's boyfriend, apparently." Edward just had to stick that in there, and it was worth it when Austin sunk a little lower into his seat from seeing Derek's reaction.

"Boyfriend."

"Well she's never mentioned him, so, who knows," Bella said. "And they haven't even seen each other in a long time…things change."

Edward noticed how Bella shot her eye at him when she said that. Things change. Things did have a tendency to change. But had they changed? Had they ever really had something_ to_ change? They weren't' exactly a couple, him and Bella. Nothing official, anyway. There was no such thing as official these days, when a world didn't exist to confirm anything. And by the way Derek was lusting over Bella—who knows how she felt about him. Maybe they really did have something.

"She didn't mention him." Derek moved on. "I think there wasn't really time to talk about such things, given the circumstances."

"And what kind of circumstances were those?" Edward asked.

Derek sighed. "I shouldn't call it a circumstance at all. Pure luck was what it was. Pure luck."

"Pure coincidence then."

"Yes. Coincidence. Fate, as it were, that both of us ended up there."

"Where?" Edward pressed.

Derek didn't want to talk much further. But he kept it short. "The Guard's grip," he said lowly, getting a quick glance at Bella, "gets everyone, and not everyone gets out." He sighed after, and then perked up a bit. "But I'm sure you've heard it all before, seeing how you've been camping out with The Guard's number one mistake."

Edward knew who that was. That mistake was standing right next to him, arms crossed, eyes somewhere else. But what was getting irritating was hearing these stories and rumours from everyone else—from everyone else but the person who had lived through it all. And that was frustrating since he and Bella were supposed to be close. He didn't even know Bella and he was in love with her. How was that even possible? Neither of them really knew each other, really. Demetri had been right all along.

Bella left them standing there right after Derek's comment. She kind of just slithered away, and Edward watched her climb into the back of the truck. She kept her back to them, the usual Bella thing to do.

"What'd I say?" Derek asked. "It's true."

Edward looked at Derek. Even though Derek had probably seen and been through it all with Bella, he didn't seem to know the little things about her. Like how she didn't like to talk about the past. Or herself. Or her family. Those little things—huge really—were what mattered the most. And he knew that and that's why they had got along in the first place. Well, used to get along. For a bit, anyway.

"Are you going to tell us where Jude is, then?" Edward asked, changing the subject.

Derek shrugged. "Who knows where she is now. I'll show you guys to my R-Base. It's a couple miles from here, and maybe we can send out some messages over the radios to the other base camps to keep an eye out for her."

Edward shrugged. "What exactly happened out there?"

Derek shrugged. "She's Jude, you know?"

Edward didn't say anything. He knew what that meant. Not because he knew Jude, but because he was dealing with the same situation with another wild girl.

**-x-**

Derek sat up front with Edward and Austin and directed them where to drive. He told them it was only a couple miles away, but that they'd need to take some precautions. That's why he had Edward circling the area first, just in case, and then Austin got out the walkie and radioed his base. They gave him the clear to come in.

"Get off this road."

"Where? There's no connecting road."

"That's the point."

Edward did as he said. He pulled the truck off the cracked pavement and drove across the plains instead. It was wide open space, and in the distance, to the east, the sun was slowly crawling out from behind the mountains, lighting the way to nowhere. He tried to go around the pot holes and bumps, but when he tried avoiding one thing he almost always hit another. That sent the hybrid in the back up into the air, landing on the metal with a string of curse words.

"You should have sat up front," Demetri said.

Bella didn't say anything—wouldn't even look at him. She just wrapped her arms around herself and tried to make it look like she wasn't holding onto the pain.

"It's getting worse, isn't it?" he asked.

She stared out into the open land. Her hands balled into fists.

Edward watched Bella in the mirror. He noticed how she was sitting. It was like she could barely hold herself up. It took a lot not to stop the truck and check on her. He watched her in the rear-view mirror until she caught him looking at her. Her eyes pierced into his and then he turned back to looking at the road.

Edward didn't know how Derek knew where to go. He would have thought he was guessing if he didn't see Derek's calculations in his head, something the guy kept going over and over from several trips back and forth between Guard camps and resistance ones. The guy's mind was insanely complicated. He was always thinking about something different, always jumping from one thing to another. It was exhausting trying to watch, which was why he tried to stay out.

"How do you keep going back and forth between sides without getting caught?" Edward asked. He was curious but he was also trying to distract Derek from thinking about Bella, which he had started doing in between planning and calculating miles.

Derek wasn't expecting such a blunt question. Especially from Edward, who was someone he wasn't quite sure about. He saw that he had good intentions, but those intentions were unclear—like someone who still wasn't sure of themselves—and that made Derek question what he was about. His kind was typical—mind reader who thinks he's all knowing. Derek had seen it all before though, and that was the problem. He wasn't intimidated by Edward's ability. Not even in the least bit.

"You're a mind reader," he said. "That's exciting."

Edward smirked but his eyes stared through the windshield at nothing in particular. "I'm just wondering how you do it."

"Do what?"

"Go back and forth."

Derek chuckled but there wasn't anything funny in the sound of it. "I'm not a flip/flop, if that's what you're asking."

_Flip/flop. _He wouldn't have known the term if it wasn't for Demetri calling Bella one only a few hours ago. And like Bella, it was something Derek was offended by. No one wanted to be in two places. Everyone wanted to have a home. A place where they belonged. A side that they belonged to. That was difficult when you were crossing over two, straddling a line, telling one side something, and one side something else.

"I know what you're thinking."

Edward looked over at him. "Oh yeah? You're a mind reader too?"

"I don't have to be. It's all on your face."

Edward didn't say anything else. Only because that's when Austin chimed in.

"How did she look?"

"What are you talking about?" Derek eyed Austin strangely, accusing him of something when he had done nothing. It was something any older brother would do when meeting a love interest of their younger sister. And since Jude wasn't around, he could be especially difficult to him. He had failed at being an older brother back then, but it wasn't to late now to try it again. Which he intended. And so far, he was judging the poor little hybrid pretty well. To him, Austin was just as questionable as Edward. Only there was nothing special about him. He was just a hybrid with shade all over him. More human than Bella.

"Jude. When you saw her. Was she okay?"

"What's it to you?"

Austin moved his body so that his shoulders were facing Derek. "I'm worried about her."

Derek looked at him. "How do you two even know each other?"

"She's somebody that I used to know."

Derek chuckled. "Everyone is."

"She kept me alive in The Guard. Gave me something to live for. Gave me a reason to get out. I owe her everything."

"Jude was never in The Guard."

That wasn't the point. Austin told him that. "She's too smart to fall for something like that."

Derek eyed Austin. It was an insult directed right at the both of them. And it was true. He'd left Alberta. Left his town. Left his farm. Left his scientific family and their scientific theories. Left Jude. And Jude was left with them. And Jude survived. And Jude didn't get involved with the Guard. And Jude survived on her own. The only member of their family that survived alone. No help needed.

It went against everything he had been taught, everything he had learned through The Guard. Kill or be killed wasn't the running theory. It was survive and thrive. Survive and thrive. And don't die. And Jude had done it all. Alone.

**-x-**

Edward stopped the truck when he saw nowhere else to go.

"Don't stop."

"Where am I supposed to go? There's nowhere else to drive."

That's what it looked like. It was mountains in front of the truck, and there wasn't anywhere to get around them or through them. Wide open spaces had closed spaces too.

"Head that way." Derek pointed west.

Edward did as he said as soon as he saw Derek's little calculations of miles and routes quickly appearing through his brain. He headed away from the rising sun, away from the barren lands and towards the mountains that were slowly beginning to look different. They weren't like the other mountains made out of the steep rock and jagged edges. They were like rolling hills of dried dirt, curved and smooth. It wasn't unusual to see mountains on flat, barren, land. They just seemed too soft. Not really like mountains. More like rolling hills. Rolling hills of dried dirt instead of green grass.

And then Edward saw it. Austin did too. There was a path. Barely. But it was there, from other tires.

"Go up that incline there." Derek pointed to the road that Edward was already headed for. "It snakes up the mountain slowly. It will bring us around the other side."

"How?" Austin asked. "It looks like it goes nowhere."

"That's how it's supposed to look."

Austin didn't understand until the truck slowly started the incline. It followed the winding trail up the mountain for ten minutes, slowly taking each curve carefully, until a fork in the road appeared. One continued to lead up the mountain, in view of everything, while the other took a short cut…through the mountain.

"I'm guessing that's where the camp is?" Austin said.

No one answered him and Edward steered the truck towards the cave. The truck disappeared into the mountain, and the sun disappeared behind them.

Bella laid down in the bed of the truck. The cave was completely dark and there was no point in trying to see anything. She even closed her eyes and concentrated on the noises around her. It sounded like Edward and Derek were arguing. She tried listening but she found that she couldn't care—didn't care, at all. It felt like her body was slowly falling into paralysis, and it felt good to lay back and welcome sleep, which she was trying to do when she heard a rifle being cocked.

Bella's eyes flew open. The truck had stopped and Derek's voice was yelling for his base members. It took only a few seconds for a flashlight to turn on, and three huge men appear from behind the truck. Bella flinched and Demetri chuckled at her nervousness.

"Hello boys—good to see ya again," Derek said, exiting the truck. The three men started laughing and Derek greeted each of them with handshakes that showed they were friendly.

"Where've you been there comrade?" one of the men asked, putting his flashlight on Derek's face. "You look worn out."

"I am. I found my sister…"

The flashlight moved to the cab of the truck, searching for the girl Derek spoke of. It scanned through Austin and Edward, who were slowly getting out of the truck, and then moved to the back of the truck. When the beam landed on Bella's face, the man whistled.

"She's a pretty little thing," the man said. Another man whistled in the background and then all three started laughing. The beam stayed on Bella's face until she held up her hand to block it.

"That's not Jude," Edward said, moving between Bella and the men.

The man with the flashlight looked at Derek. "Where's your sister then? And who the hell is she?"

Derek sighed. "It's a long story…but that's _Bella Swan_."

The men went silent.

**-x-**

Derek promised to explain everything once they got to the camp, which required a bit of a walk to get there. Edward didn't want to leave the truck but it was promised that it was safely hidden and could return to it whenever he pleased. Austin didn't care about leaving the truck—he wanted to sleep, and the sooner they got to camp the sooner he could pass out. Demetri didn't seem to care about anything. He had already made friends with the three men, and was enjoying a few jokes at Derek's expense. Bella on the other hand…well…she couldn't get out of the truck.

The three men and Demetri were at the lead, already walking off. Austin hung around in the middle, slowly following their lead. Derek was waiting for Edward, who in turn, was waiting for Bella. Bella wasn't waiting for anybody.

"Are you coming Bella?" Derek yelled, the cave picking up the echo. One of the men turned around to look at them. He stopped and the other two led Demetri and Austin back to camp.

"What seems to be the problem?" the man yelled. He pulled a flashlight out from the back of his jeans and slowly started walking back to the truck. He had on a cowboy hat that looked out of place with his leather combat boots and cargo jacket.

Edward jumped into the bed of the truck and leaned over Bella. "What's wrong," he hissed. "And don't lie to me."

Bella shook her head and then slowly got to her feet. She stumbled a bit and Edward's hands shot out around her waist to steady her.

"Bella—"

She cut Derek off. "We're coming, we'll catch up with ya," she yelled.

"We can't leave you or you won't know where to go," he yelled. "Come on! You're slowing us down."

_You're slowing us down._ Bella gritted her teeth. It was one of the worst things to hear. But she physically knew she wouldn't be able to keep up much longer. Something was wrong with her.

"Come on Bella," Edward said. His hands tightened around her waist. "I've got you."

Bella nodded and let Edward jump out of the truck to help her down. He reached up and took one of her hands, expecting her to at least be okay enough to land on her two feet. But when Bella jumped, her knees buckled, and Edward had to intervene.

"What is going on with you?" he whispered so the others couldn't hear.

"Let's just get to camp," she said. "They're waiting."

Bella took a few steps and at first she thought she cold hold off the pain. But it sliced into her muscles and she found herself stumbling again. Tears poured down her face and she held back from screaming out.

"We're going," Derek yelled. "Keep up or you'll get lost!"

Bella looked up and watched the flashlight slowly start to enter into more darkness. It was growing lighter and lighter, and as they stood there, they eventually wouldn't be able to see it.

"Edward—"

He didn't let her finish. With one quick swoop Bella was in his arms. He held her close to his chest and cradled her like a child. He started walking and followed after Derek and the other man.

"You don't have to carry me—"

"Yeah I do, Bella." He tried to keep his voice low. "You can't walk."

Bella didn't argue. She suddenly started feeling even weaker, and before she knew it, she was having trouble keeping her eyes open. She felt like she was swimming through a current, and somewhere in the distance, her name was repeating over and over again, until finally, she heard nothing but silence.

**-x-**

"Put her here."

They had reached the camp in under ten minutes. It was record time considering how hidden it was in the mountains. But they had a reason to hurry—Bella was unconscious.

"I don't know what happened," Edward said, laying her down where a woman camper had spread a blanket on the ground. The woman had a pail of water and a cloth already in her possession and started dabbing the hybrid's head.

"It's simple exhaustion," she said. But the woman had no clue that is was Bella Swan, and that her hybrid body wasn't as susceptible to exhaustion as the average human. But the woman was filled in once she saw the holes in the hybrid's sweater…and the dry blood stains. "What in God's name—"

"It's Bella Swan," the man wearing the cowboy hat said.

The camp, which consisted of about thirty people all spread out through the lit up cave, went nuts. They couldn't believe they were in the presence of the hybrid who had started The Resistance. Some of them didn't know what to think. Some of them were scared. Some of them were hopeful.

"Bella Swan."

"The Volturi—they'll come looking for her!"

"She's doomed us all—"

"She's a hero!"

"She's a coward!"

"Get it out of here!"

The woman tending to Bella held up her hand. The cave went silent. "This girl needs help. And once we help her, then we can decide what is best."

Bella was slowly starting to regain consciousness. Her body ached and the pain was still too much for her to stay awake. "Edward…don't leave me" she whispered.

Edward kneeled beside the hyrbird's head and pulled a few strands of hair off of her forehead. Her skin was hot to the touch and it scared him. "I'll never leave you again and you know that."

"Where's the doctor?" the woman asked. "Doctor!" she yelled over her shoulder. "She's waking up!"

A man stepped out from the shadows. He had been watching the entire scene unfold. Bella saw a glimpse of him over Edward's shoulder.

"Young Bella," Jones said. "What have you done to yourself this time?"

Bella started screaming. She had completely lost her mind.

**-x-**

* * *

**Song: "Somebody That I Used To Know" by GOTYE.**


End file.
